Astra Blishwick and the Pure-Blood Prince
by BelleCarth
Summary: During her final year at Hogwarts and much to her disgust, Astra Blishwick's family are busy plotting her engagement to the lucrative Constantin Prince. But, contending with the ailing condition of her sister, Eily, and the constant interference of her Head of House, Astra has formed other plans for her future and the only person they frequently feature is Kendra Frey.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N- **Hello! I hope you're having a great day- as a quick warning this story is very much a fabricated prequel to the HP series (it takes place in the nineteenth century) so if that's not for you then no worries! I promise there are a few familiar faces but also lots of new ones (though if you're determined enough, and have too much spare time, you can find most of them on Pottermore) so read on if that sounds appealing. I'd love feedback but don't feel pressured on that front. I'm rating this T for now, when my paranoia undoubtedly increases, I may change that, haha. Later on I'll probably include trigger warnings as they become relevant.

Have a wonderful rest of your day!

**Astra Blishwick - One**

Astra stared at the ceiling. She knew it probably wasn't Iola Black's fault that she snored like a dragon but still, Astra didn't envy whoever it was that Iola would eventually end up married to. Strands of long dark hair fluttered slightly over the face of the snoring girl as she continued to attack Astra's eardrums. At this rate, Astra would sleep through the entire journey to Hogwarts and likely be left on the train as everyone else headed to the feast.

"Nah," she said to herself in the darkness, "Aug would come and find me. And then yell at me." She sniggered, perhaps a little too loudly, as Iola made a mumbling sound and waved an arm around. Astra watched carefully but her cousin simply rolled over and returned to her snoring. She had probably found sleep a much more welcome companion than Astra had due to her vast experience in the large, creaking house. Astra only visited the Black family home for extravagant occasions and the compulsory one night a year before returning to Hogwarts with her cousins. It was going to be different this year, though.

For the first time, it was just Astra and Iola catching the train from platform nine and three quarters at eleven o'clock the following morning. Every other year Astra had spent at Hogwarts Iola's sister, Elladora, had been with them but she had finished that summer. For the first few years even Phineas, Iola's older brother had been with them, but he was a teacher at Hogwarts now and so they would not see him until they arrived.

Deciding that she might just be a little too cold to sleep, Astra grabbed for her wand in the dark and muttered, "Accio blanket." She was grateful that there was nothing stopping her from using magic outside of school. She had heard Aug mention to her parents that such a law was being considered by the Ministry of Magic but by the time it came into being Astra would be old enough not to let it worry her. Her final year at Hogwarts began tomorrow and Astra was determined to make the most of it.

-AB-

"ASTRA!"

Astra groaned. The sunlight was breaking through the disgustingly embroidered golden curtains and somebody in the house clearly had a death wish.

There was a rapping on the door and Iola's voice floated through it, "Astra come on! Mother says we have to be leaving within the hour!"

Astra frowned, looking to where Iola had been sleeping. The grand bed was now neatly made up and all of Iola's things were gone. Her frown deepened slightly. But, then again, she thought, it wasn't unusual for her to sleep through noise. She had eventually slept through Iola's continual snoring after all.

"Sometime this century please, Astra." She heard her own father calling.

Astra shrugged to herself; if she had until 1900 to get ready then she needn't rush, it was another 31 years. Although, somehow, she had a feeling that wasn't what her father had actually meant. With a groan, she stumbled around, looking for her clothes.

Astra's usual garb consisted of trousers, boots and a loosely tucked in shirt with robes. She owned some more casual gowns, but they were mainly reserved for formal events. She deliberately kept her dirty blonde hair short so that she did not have to spend hours plaiting it into a monstrous bun similar to the one that Iola carried around on her head. Astra had told her more than enough times that there simply _must _be a spell to do it for her, but Iola insisted that plaiting her hair was calming and enjoyable.

Grabbing her trunk and wand, Astra stalked toward the door. Iola's expectant face greeted her on the other side.

"Ready?" the smaller, dark haired girl asked. Her hair was already pinned up and neat. She had on a simple green dress and was rubbing her hands together furiously.

Astra raised her eyebrow at her cousin, "Are you nervous, excited or just cold?"

"All three!" Iola chimed, "Now come on!"

Astra's father, Jimbo Blishwick, levitated all of their luggage into the carriage that would take them into London and to the train station whilst Iola's mother, Ella Black, fussed over the pair of them relentlessly.

"Oh, Iola darling, you look simply wonderful, we'll have you married to a wealthy pure-blood wizard before the year is out!" Ella Black cooed, brushing her hand against Iola's cheek.

"Mother!" Iola hissed, swatting the hand away, but, unusually, she didn't protest the actual statement. Ella looked slightly put out until she turned on Astra. Astra bit back a groan.

"And you, Astra Blishwick, how do you expect to make a good impression on our dear friend, Master Prince with _that_ choice of clothing, hmm?"

Astra opened her mouth to reply angrily when her own mother appeared, entering the grand entrance hall through the carved wooden doors. Her heels clicked on the marble floor and she cleared her throat.

"Girls, we are leaving." She announced in her commanding tone, "Now."

As much as Astra disliked her mother, she felt relief flood through her. She turned to Ella apologetically and shrugged, "Looks like I'm needed elsewhere, please accept my apologies Mrs Black."

"Goodbye Mother!" Iola called over her shoulder and the two girls hopped into the awaiting carriage.

Astra's mother, Misapinoa Blishwick, soon joined them, her mouth set in a tight line. Astra knew why; Misapinoa despised muggles and anything to do with them, if she had her way then they'd be travelling to the station in a carriage pulled by thestrals but, as it was, horses were being used to avoid any muggle confusion.

There was audible conversation outside of the carriage and then Jimbo clambered in and they began to move. Almost immediately, Misapinoa was at her daughter's throat.

"Ella is right, you know Astra. You are making no effort whatsoever to impress Master Prince and you know how important that is. You are acting as if he is nothing to you when, in fact, he is going to be entirely responsible for your future." The woman snapped. She had wispy brown hair that was pulled back in a bun similar to Iola's. The difference was that Iola didn't always look like she had just sucked an extremely sour lemon.

Jimbo Blishwick shifted uncomfortably next to his wife but she elbowed him sharply. He coughed, "Uh, yes, Astra. Your mother is right. Especially since he has recently hinted at a proposal and-"

"What?!" Astra blurted, "But I can't stand Constantin, he's a nightma-"

"Be quiet, Astra!" Misapinoa ordered harshly.

Astra chanced a glance at Iola who was, conveniently, staring wistfully out of the carriage window. Trust Iola not to be there when she needed her. Astra gritted her teeth.

"Constantin Prince, and that is _Master_ Prince to you, is an honourable man of good family and pure blood. To question that would be to question your own sister and we will not stand for it."

"Sit for it then." Astra muttered, earning her a glare from her mother.

"Now, now, Astra." Jimbo said, not unkindly, "You'll come to see soon that this is the best path for you. The Princes are good friends of ours and Eily is most happy about her match with Valentin, you know that. Take a leaf out of Iola's book and just enjoy the knowledge that your future is well catered for. Now, who would like to bet on when the baby will come?"

Astra ignored the following conversation about when her sister, Eily, would finally give birth to the baby inside her ever-swelling womb. Her parents always insisted that Eily was happy married to Valentin Prince but Astra wasn't convinced. The man was cold and rude, much like his younger brother Constantin. And, not to mention, he was more than twice Astra's age. Of course, Eily was older than Astra by nine years, but there was still a considerable gap between her and Valentin.

Astra watched her cousin weigh in on the due date. How did Iola manage it? She too was expected to marry a pure blood wizard within the year, and it would most likely be a reasonably close relative of theirs, given the Black family obsession with pure blood. But Iola did not seem bothered in the slightest. Perhaps it was because her sister, Elladora, had not been married off yet and that gave her some hope of more time. But Astra wasn't sure. Surely there must be some worry in the girl? Astra's worst fear was ending up as a mother, dependent on a much older pure blood wizard to provide for her and their children. Maybe Iola wanted that future? Something told Astra that that was unlikely.

As the carriage trundled along an exceptionally bumpy pathway, Astra's mind flicked to her school friends. It was the last year she would be able to spend with them, since none of them met her family's standards, and it was important that she enjoy it.

-AB-

Kendra Frey was ready and waiting at the crack of dawn. Her parents weren't quite so enthusiastic.

"Kenny dear," Her mother mumbled, rubbing her eyes, "we don't need to leave for another few hours."

"That may be so, mother, but I wanted to have everything ready before Percy comes to visit so that I needn't rush him." Kendra said. Her mother muttered something that sounded like "Alright then." before disappearing back into the bedroom she had emerged from. Kendra sat, listening to the birds and drumming her fingers on the solitary table that occupied their one living space. They were lucky, she knew, to have the tiny house to themselves. Just one street down from them, several families shared each house, living in disturbingly cramped conditions and always looking as if they had climbed out of a grave. Kendra liked to convince herself that she allowed these people first chance at the communal water tap because they were so poor and uncared for, but she knew in her heart that she did it to avoid them and that was even worse.

Kendra wished she could use her magic to help her parents. Maybe to do daily tasks for them and make their lives easier, but they wouldn't let her. Her muggle parents were not opposed to magic, but they did not wish to use it to their own advantage. They told Kendra that it was because they'd have nothing to keep them going if not the daily tasks, but Kendra knew it was because they did not want anyone nearby finding out she had magic. If they did, she would most likely be ambushed by crowds of desperate people asking for help. Kendra's parents didn't want that for her.

The sound of sloppy footsteps signalled Percival Dumbledore's arrival and Kendra leapt up to allow him in. His pale face looked worried and she frowned.

"Sorry," he murmured, "I just can't stand seeing how these people have to live. I wish I could help them."

"Agreed." Kendra said, before rushing to throw her arms around him. "I've missed you." She said, her voice coming out muffled against his woollen jumper.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and smiled, "I've missed you too, Kenny. Sorry I couldn't come sooner; I've been held up for so long at the Ministry."

Kendra told him not to worry about it and gave him a quick kiss before they both sat down at the decrepit table. They spoke for a long while about Percival's new job at the Ministry, under Faris "Spout-Hole" Spavin, one of the oldest Ministers for Magic there had ever been.

"Honestly, Kenny, he's like a skeleton with skin, creeping around corners as if he thinks Death is trying to catch him off-guard!" Percy insisted, Kendra giggling uncontrollably.

And then, "Do you think you'll ever see Blishwick again? After this year, I mean." He asked quietly.

Kendra squeezed his hand to let him know it was alright that he had asked. After all, Percy did know Astra. He had only been one year above them at school and Kendra often hung around with Astra even after she started courting Percy.

"I don't know, Percy." She sighed, "I'd like to think so, but I also know that Astra is under immense pressure to do as her family wants, not as she wants."

"Yeah, they're like that, those _pure bloods_." Percival said, scratching at the table-top.

"Astra's not." Kendra asserted.

There were a few seconds of silence and then she piped up, "I think Kerrick and Venusia might want to work in the Ministry next year."

"Kerrick and….." Percy bit his lip in concentration for a while and then, "Ah, Shacklebolt and Crickerly?"

Kendra nodded, remembering Percy's annoying habit of calling her friends by their surnames.

"Interesting," he mused, "Shacklebolt's certainly the type to do well in the Ministry. Crickerly, now that's an intriguing one."

"I think she'd be brilliant." Kendra said, daring Percy to disagree. He caught her stare and chuckled, "Right you are, Kenny. I'll put in a word for her then."

Kendra's face lit up. Venusia would faint when she told her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Astra Blishwick – two**

Astra practically ran for Platform nine and three quarters as soon as she was allowed out of the carriage. Her trunk somewhat slowed her down, but she still managed to reach the train without any more conversation from her parents.

As much as she got on with Iola whilst they were at home during the holidays, and enjoyed her company to avoid conversation with anyone else at the family events, they were not close friends at school.

"Oi! Blishwick!" Astra turned, tripping over her own trunk and finding herself caught by the strong arms of Kerrick Shacklebolt.

"Watch it, Astra!" he chuckled, his deep voice enveloping her. Astra regained her footing and mock glared at him. He grinned, "Good summer?" he asked.

"What do you think?" she raised her eyebrows.

He chuckled again, "That bad, huh?"

Astra knew that Kerrick somewhat understood her situation. He, too, came from a pure blood family, but they were not so concerned as the Blacks when it came to remaining as such. She grabbed her trunk and hauled it onto the train, which was chugging loudly. The smell of smoke engulfed her lungs. Next to her, Kerrick followed suit.

"How was your holiday? Did you enjoy Italy?" she asked.

Kerrick nodded enthusiastically and opened his mouth to reply when he spotted someone over Astra's shoulder.

"Over here, Elias!"

Elias Grimstone, a rather short but slim redheaded boy wheeled his trunk over to them.

"Got a compartment?" he asked, his thick welsh accent obvious even over the sound of the train. Kerrick nodded again and helped hoist Elias' things onto the train. Somewhere behind them a whistle blew and a voice yelled that all students needed to be on the train. Astra hopped on behind Kerrick and Elias and leaned back, searching the station frantically.

"Looking for us?" Venusia Crickerly's voice floated towards her. Astra snapped her head back and saw her other three friends making their way down the train corridor.

"Yeah," she breezed, "just hoping we could leave you all behind. Alas, you have found us."

"Shut up, Blishwick." Gerbold Ollivander grinned, hitting the blonde lightly on the arm. He and Venusia proceeded to squeeze into the compartment and greet Kerrick and Elias. Astra slammed the train door shut behind her and turned to find dark brown eyes gleaming up at her.

"I'd have waited for you," Astra began, "the other two could get lost but I'd have stopped the train for you." There was a pause, "Probably." She added.

Kendra laughed and hugged her friend tightly. Astra patted the dark-haired girl on the head.

"Have you been away, you look tanned?" Astra said lightly, noticing that her friend's dark skin seemed even darker.

Kendra snorted, "As a matter of fact I have, Percival took me to France no less, but it was nothing particularly exciting. You, however, look as pale as always." She released her friend and stared questioningly at her.

"Yeah, well, I've got to make sure I still look good in green and silver, haven't I?"

Kendra rolled her eyes and they joined the others in the compartment.

-AB-

"You're still taking NEWT potions?" Elias asked incredulously as everyone else in the compartment nodded.

"It would be rather pointless to start a NEWT in it during sixth year and then not bother this year, wouldn't it?" Kendra said. She was sat in between Kerrick, who was contentedly breathing heavily on the window and then drawing in his breath with his finger, and Astra, who was leaning against the door of the compartment looking worried. Elias sat opposite Kendra, Venusia on his left, following the conversation enthusiastically, and Gerbold on his right, whispering rude things to Kerrick to write on the window.

"Besides," Venusia said, "I really want to learn a potion that will permanently turn hair red."

"Why?" Kendra and Elias asked in unison.

"So that we can all match Elias, of course!" Venusia laughed. Elias' face started to turn the colour of his hair.

Astra, whilst gazing down the train corridor, was vaguely listening to her friends converse. She didn't think red hair would suit anyone but Elias. He fitted it, with his splash of freckles and bright green eyes. Venusia had long, mousy brown hair and a small face with enormous blue eyes. Astra couldn't imagine her eyebrows being ginger, it seemed absurd. Kerrick with red hair sounded hilarious. The tall, well-built black boy probably wouldn't even mind, Astra thought. Astra suspected that Gerbold's curly white blond hair wouldn't turn any other colour, even if magic was involved.

They passed through extensive areas of countryside, occasionally spotting a city or town on their way. The tell-tale sign of either being an overwhelming smell of smoke and a huge grey mist hanging over the area. Muggles had recently made vast industrial advancements and now almost everywhere smelled of smoke and looked like a concrete jungle. It wasn't all bad; the invention of the steam train had brought about the Hogwarts Express, not that Astra was old enough to remember an alternative form of transport to the school. The train had come into use for students in the early 1820s and that was almost fifty years ago.

"What are you staring at?" Kendra whispered to Astra, leaning away from the others who were in a deep discussion concerning their respective houses' chances at the Quidditch Cup this year.

"Iola." Astra stated.

She had indeed been watching her cousin curiously for the entire journey. Iola had spent the whole time standing in the corridor talking to Guy Avery and Aisling Rosier. The two of them were fellow Slytherins of Astra and Iola but Astra herself couldn't stand them. They were like smaller versions of her own parents, obsessed with pure blood and 'mudbloods'. Astra knew that Iola was friends with them, but she never normally spent _this _much time with them.

"Ignore her." Kendra said, "You're done with her until the holiday now, you can relax."

"She's not that bad." Astra mused. "Well, not usually."

Venusia nudged Astra suddenly with her knee, "What about Slytherin then Astra? Do you think MacNair's team has it in them this year? It's been a long time since your lot won."

"Yeah," Elias grinned, "imagine if you beat us," the Hufflepuff boy went on, "Prince would wet himself."

Astra snorted at the thought of Professor Prince, her head of house and potions teacher, reacting so drastically to Quidditch.

"We might stand a chance," she mused, "but we all know you Hufflepuffs are going to fly away with it, easily."

Elias' grin grew. He was obsessed with Quidditch, often missing his lessons just to read up on tactics. Unsurprisingly, he had been made Hufflepuff Quidditch captain in their fourth year and he played seeker better than anyone else in the school.

"I still think we could take you." Kerrick huffed, crossing his arms. He was one of the Gryffindor beaters, though Matilde Northern was the team's captain. Astra rolled her eyes. Anyone betting that Hufflepuff wouldn't win the Quidditch cup was basically throwing their money away.

-AB-

When they arrived at the Hogwarts station, Rancorous Carpe, the caretaker, was busy ushering first years away from the rest of the crowds of students. Astra almost felt sorry for them, being taken away by the terrifying looking man who always kept an unnecessary number of sharp implements on his person and had a nasty sneer permanently wiped across his face.

"It's about time Mole sacked him." Venusia sniffed, holding her head high, "He's simply vile."

"She won't." Elias muttered, "Nobody else would want the job."

Professor Eupraxia Mole, Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was a stern middle-aged woman with pitch black hair that she cut into a sharp bob and piercing grey eyes. Astra had seen her be kind upon occasion, when a student was particularly distraught but, overall, she liked to keep her school strictly according to the rules. Astra still liked her though, mainly because she didn't subscribe to the pure blood fanatical regime as so many Heads before her had. It also meant that any teacher trying to implement such a regime could be reported to her and safely dealt with.

The six of them, three Gryffindors, a Ravenclaw, a Hufflepuff and a Slytherin, trudged up to the castle, holding their robes close.

"Miss Crickerly!" the voice of Basil Fronsac, Transfiguration Professor and head of Ravenclaw House, called.

Venusia turned, looking concerned, "Yes, Professor?" she asked innocently.

Professor Fronsac approached them, his long white hair billowing behind him. He regarded the other five for a second and then turned to Venusia. "Miss Crickerly, as Head Girl I will need you to come with me so that I may quickly explain your duties before the sorting begins. I'd have liked to explain on the train but there was an…. accident with the Head Boy and we had little time."

"You're Head Girl?!" Elias gawped at Venusia and she hit him quickly whilst Fronsac's head was turned.

"Of course, Professor Fronsac. Might I ask, who is the Head Boy?"

Fronsac sighed before replying, "Francis Prewitt. Needless to say, Geraint Prewitt was not particularly impressed and decided to take his jealously out in the form of a little prank on the train."

Kerrick and Elias held back snorts as Astra bit her lip in amusement. Francis and Geraint Prewitt were twins from Hufflepuff. Both hard workers, Astra could imagine that only picking one of them for Head Boy would have disastrous effects.

"Prewitt, Head Boy?" Kerrick snorted as Professor Fronsac and Venusia disappeared up ahead.

"And Venusia is Head Girl and she didn't tell us?!" Elias complained.

"Maybe she knew all you'd do is tease her about it." Gerbold suggested.

"I would not!" Elias protested.

They all stared at him. He cursed under his breath.

-AB-

Astra hated the sorting ceremony. She hated any official event held in the Great Hall because it meant she had to sit with the other Slytherins and only with them. Kendra caught her eye and gave her a sympathetic grimace from her seat between Gerbold and Kerrick. Astra smiled back, trying to brush off the annoyance she felt rising inside her.

Elias was busy already talking to his Hufflepuff Quidditch team who all looked more than ready to eat and ignore him. Venusia returned from her meeting with Professor Fronsac and sat down next to her best Ravenclaw friend, Cicero Lovegood.

"Busy staring at Lovegood, Blishwick?" Jezebel MacNair asked Astra, her voice shrill and mocking.

"He's a more pleasant sight than you, MacNair." Astra muttered.

"What did you just-" but Jezebel was cut off as Eupraxia Mole stood up and walked to the lectern at the front of the hall.

Professor Mole announced the beginning of the sorting and, slowly, the first years were placed into their houses. Professor Tressamine LeFaye, head of Gryffindor house, held the sorting hat and gently directed each first year in the right direction. She was a kind woman, with flowing unruly brown hair and large glasses.

Astra's eyes drifted along the staff table, past Professor Fronsac and Professor Axton, head of Hufflepuff. Professors Bloom and Yaxley were next and then the Headmistress herself. Professor LeFaye's empty chair came next and then Professor Trimble, the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. He had stringy gold hair, a heavily lined face and was known for being incredibly full of himself. This trait often got on Astra's nerves but, unfortunately, his arrogance was not without basis in fact. Trimble himself had written most of the required course for DADA and many of their textbooks and it was all very well informed. Still, Astra thought, he was incredibly annoying.

Next to Trimble, who was preening his own sleeves, sat Phineas Nigellus Black, their still relatively new Astronomy Professor and Iola's elder brother. He was watching the sorting eagerly, clapping enthusiastically every time someone joined Slytherin. He had a similar complexion to Iola, dark hair and a small and slim stature. Next to him, the head of Slytherin house himself sat, brooding. Astra bit back a smile. Professor Augustin Prince rarely expressed emotions besides amusement and exasperation. Briefly, he met her eyes and she looked down quickly. The fact that she had known him since she was born and that he was technically her brother-in-law now did nothing to deter the awkwardness that was still always present between them at Hogwarts.

Astra had learned quickly from her parents that she was to treat Augustin Prince as she would any other teacher whilst at school, despite them being on a first name basis back home. Occasionally, if they ended up alone at any point, Augustin would loosen up a little and Astra had found it easier to amuse him, similar to how she would when they spoke at formal gatherings in the holidays.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" the sorting hat snapped Astra out of her thoughts, and she looked back up toward the staff table. It appeared that the sorting had finally finished, and Professor Mole stood up once more, ordering the feast to begin.

Full to bursting and more content than she had been in the past few months, Astra closed her eyes later that night and drifted off to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Astra Blishwick – Three**

Sharing a dormitory with Iola Black, Aisling Rosier and Jezebel MacNair had never featured particularly high up in Astra's childhood dreams but she knew it could be worse. She _could_ be at home with her parents.

Astra wasn't surprised to find Iola already awake when she opened her eyes. Her cousin was always the first up and had usually already gone down to breakfast before any of the others even roused.

"Sleep well?" Iola asked her quietly.

"Better than I have in a while." Astra mused, "Still can't stand your snoring though."

Iola chucked a pillow in her cousin's direction and rolled her eyes.

"I'm going to breakfast. See you later." And she disappeared out of the door.

Astra wanted desperately to sleep all day, but she knew she would end up with half a dozen detentions and that would only make her more sleep deprived in the long run. She frowned; since when had she started to think about her sleep schedule logically?

Pulling on some socks, Astra was careful not to wake the other two Slytherin girls as she crept to the bathroom to dress. Her reflection in the cracked mirror stared back at her. Would she look the same, in a year's time, if she married Constantin Prince? Would she develop frown lines and permanent bags under her eyes? Would her face end up permanently tear stained like Eily's?

Astra's parents either seemed to take little notice or had put it down to the difficult pregnancy Eily was currently experiencing, but Astra had seen tear tracks gracing Eily's cheeks almost every time she had seen her over the summer. What was worse was that Eily wouldn't talk to Astra when she asked about it. Granted, Astra had never been particularly tactful about such things, but she had expected her sister to be able to talk to her. Their mother hadn't taken it very well when Astra had broached the subject with her either.

"_Eily is perfectly happy, Astra. It's her first pregnancy; of course she can't be expected to be exhilarant all of the time and your constant badgering is not helping." Her mother had snapped_

"_But mother she's crying all the time, I can see-"_

"_Astra. Attempting to make Eily's life appear as a tragedy will not prevent your father and I from pursuing a suitable husband for you. Now be quiet and listen to Valentin's facts about mandrakes, they're enthralling."_

Astra rolled her eyes at the memory. They certainly had not been interesting facts about mandrakes. Astra had had more fun learning about them in her third year when Cicero Lovegood was bitten by one on the nose and Professor Axton had to knock him unconscious to get it away from him.

At the sound of talking back in the dormitory, Astra tied her shoes and rushed into the common room, intent on making her way to the Great Hall. She dawdled around in the common room entrance, wondering whether she would be back in between breakfast and first lesson to pack her books before remembering that she had to collect her timetable.

Professor Prince didn't look up after ordering her to enter his office. His dark hair fell in his face and he simply asked, "Year?"

"1869." Astra replied, smirking.

Still not looking up, he sighed, "I've got it here somewhere, Miss Blishwick." He moved some rolls of parchment around and then thrust one in her direction, finally meeting her eyes. If Astra didn't know him, she could easily have mistaken him for either of his brothers; they all had the same dark hair, thin face and slender build. The difference came in their personality. Astra found Valentin and Constantin incredibly grating and blatantly rude. The pair of them oozed confidence and self-righteousness whilst treating most other people like dirt. Augustin was quieter and far more self-aware. Astra couldn't blame him, she imagined that she, too, would be quiet if she had grown up with Valentin and Constantin for brothers.

"Thank you, sir." She said, looking over the timetable briefly.

"Is there a reason you are only taking five NEWTs, Miss Blishwick?" he asked, returning to shuffling his parchment.

Astra felt herself blush; she was far from stupid, but she'd wanted as much free time as possible this year to spend with her friends. After all, if she was going to marry Constantin Prince and be a house wife, there was no need for an excessive amount of qualifications.

"I only have to take five, Professor." She replied. She had dropped Arithmancy, Herbology, Divination and Ancient Runes at the end of sixth year.

"Hmm," he mused, "Transfiguration, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Astronomy, Charms and Potions, if I recall correctly?"

"You do, sir." Astra confirmed.

"I really think you could manage Herbology and Divination as well, Miss Blishwick."

Astra blanched, "Sir," she started in a voice full of offence, "I hate Herbology! I don't need another year of disgusting plants that ooze goodness knows what. Besides, Professor Axton specifically requested that I not return to her class this year."

Professor Prince let out a snort, "Did she? How good of her to voice the collective thoughts of the teaching body."

Astra met his eyes and could tell he was messing with her.

"I'll take Divination." She sighed finally, "If I _must_, Professor."

He held out his hand, a smirk gracing his features, "Allow me to change that then." And she handed him the timetable.

-AB-

"We have Defence Against the Dark Arts first!?" Elias moaned, shovelling toast into his mouth.

"I believe you are incorrectly using the collective form of 'we'." Gerbold said smugly, "_You _all have Defence first, _I _have a free lesson."

"Oh, get lost wand boy." Elias bit back.

Astra realised she must have missed the enormous influx of owls carrying the mail because Kendra was sitting next to her, reading a letter fervently. She looked fresh faced and eager to get to lessons, but her attention was currently solely focused on her mail.

"Is it from lover boy at the Ministry?" Kerrick asked.

Kendra didn't answer. Chewing on an egg, Astra leaned back and looked over Kendra's shoulder. The bottom of the letter held the line

_All my love, Percy._

"Yes." Astra confirmed. Kerrick nodded.

"He wants to take me away over the Christmas holiday." Kendra breathed.

"Take you away where?" Kerrick frowned, "That sounds ominous, Kenny."

Astra snorted, "Ah, yes, of course, after two years of a happy relationship, Percival has finally decided to kidnap and murder Kendra, but not before publicly announcing it in a traceable letter."

They all laughed.

Out of the corner of her eye, Astra noticed Iola sitting with a group of Slytherins, a letter clutched in her hands too. Her cousin looked reasonably content and slightly relieved. One of the Slytherins said something and then nudged Iola who looked around and laughed, saying something back to the student who also grinned. Then she caught Astra's eyes and smiled widely. Astra blinked. This was unusual; normally they skirted around each other at school. Shrugging, Astra smiled back.

An enormous bang on the table next to her made her jolt.

"Professor Fronsac seems to think I'm not capable of taking thirteen NEWTs." Venusia announced shrilly, slamming a pile of textbooks onto the table and plopping down between Kerrick and Gerbold.

"Maybe because there aren't even thirteen subjects to take, Ven." Elias suggested nervously.

The Ravenclaw girl narrowed her eyes at him and Astra could sense that he already regretted offering his input on the topic.

"Of course there are," she snapped, "Alchemy, Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Astronomy…."

She started listing them and Astra stopped listening; Phineas Nigellus had appeared at the staff table. He almost immediately noticed Astra and gave her a look of utter revulsion before seeing Iola with the Slytherins. Iola looked up briefly, saw that her brother was watching her, hastily folded up her letter and returned to her conversation. Astra briefly considered asking the dark-haired girl about it later but quickly thought better of it. Iola had never been one to share secrets with Astra.

"We should be going." Kendra announced, standing up from the table, "Trimble won't be happy if we're late to the first lesson of term."

"Ah, such difficult lives you all lead." Gerbold teased, leaning back and admiring the toast rack which was still stuffed full of slices.

"Shut up Ollivander." Elias said grumpily.

-AB-

Professor Quentin Trimble, the ever confident and well known Slytherin, lounged behind his desk, watching his NEWT students enter.

Astra took a seat next to Kendra, as usual, and Venusia hastily grabbed the space next to Kerrick. Elias raised his hands in a gesture of _'well what am I supposed to do?' _and then Trimble stood up.

"There is a space next to Miss Rosier, Mr Grimstone." Trimble instructed.

Elias visibly paled. He looked toward the Slytherin girl who had sharp black eyebrows and matching shoulder length hair, bright green eyes and thin lips that she was tensing aggressively. Glaring at Venusia, Elias carefully sat down next to Aisling Rosier, trying his best not to touch any part of her or her possessions.

Venusia shot Elias a look of apology. The seating plan had never been a problem before because Gerbold and Elias had shared a desk. But Gerbold had dropped the subject at the end of sixth year after his attempt at a non-verbal stunning spell had brought down the chandelier of the classroom.

"So," Trimble began, now sitting on his own desk and staring intently at each student in turn, "as you have all now been made aware of the unforgiveable curses and, undoubtedly know everything about them," he paused, as if daring anyone to suggest that they did not know everything there was to know about the unforgiveable curses, "you will now attempt to resist and cope with their effects."

Astra raised her hand tentatively. Trimble stared at her. He had oddly amber coloured eyes and a mane of stringy blond hair that blended into a beard and moustache.

"Yes, Miss Blishwick?" he said.

Astra coughed slightly and then, "When you say, 'resist and cope with their effects', sir, how are you imagining we are going to be able to resist and cope with the effects of being murdered?"

A snicker ran around the class, but Trimble seemed unimpressed. Nevertheless, he stood up from his desk and stepped toward the blackboard that always stood at the front of the class.

"A somewhat fair question, Miss Blishwick, but one to which I assume you know the answer already." He proceeded to write _Cruciatus Curse_ and _Imperius Curse_ on the board in chalk.

"These," he pointed at the words, "are the only unforgiveable curses one is able to do anything about, should one find themselves under them. The Killing Curse, that Miss Blishwick so helpfully reminded us all of, cannot be prevented, though, of course, anyone who has read their textbook thoroughly would know this."

Astra looked down at her own copy of _The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_ by Quentin Trimble. It was fairly neat and tidy, giving away the fact that she had not spent much time reading it.

"Now," Trimble began again, "who can remember the year that these curses became unforgiveable?"

Venusia's hand shot up at once and Elias audibly groaned.

"Yes, Miss Crickerly?"

"1717." Venusia recalled correctly.

"Indeed." Trimble sighed, clearly annoyed that he would now have to reward Ravenclaw. He awarded Venusia five points and then proceeded to instruct the students to locate the page on the Imperius Curse, announcing that this would be their starting point.

"As much as I'd love to dive right in with excruciating torture, I fear many of you would find yourselves…out of your depth." He explained with a sneer.

"This class is excruciating torture." Elias muttered. Next to him, Aisling Rosier 'accidentally' dropped her textbook onto his foot.

Astra had a feeling it was going to be a long year.


	4. Chapter 4

**Astra Blishwick – Four**

"It's just easier to concentrate sitting next to Kerrick than it is next to you." Venusia defended herself, not meeting Elias' grumpy stare.

"If I'd been sitting next to you instead of _Aisling Rosier_," Elias said, shivering at the mention of the Slytherin's name, "I would not now have a detention for swearing when she threw a book onto my foot!"

"Well maybe you just need to watch your language." Venusia suggested.

The five of them were slowly trailing their way down to the dungeons for potions, Elias so engrossed in his argument with Venusia that he didn't realise he wasn't even taking the subject until they were halfway there. Remembering partway down a moving staircase, he made to turn around only to find himself hanging over a twenty-foot drop with only Kendra's quick reactions keeping him from plummeting to the ground. Elias finally left them on the first floor, mumbling something about the superiority of spiral staircases.

Astra always had mixed feelings about being down in the dungeons. She felt somewhat safer because it was where her dormitory was located but also melancholy because it was always so dark and dank.

The depressing atmosphere of the dungeons was no different today; the potions classroom was dimly lit, and everything had a strangely green tinge to it. Empty cauldrons stood on each desk, making it look like some sort of potion making prison.

Astra made to sit down next to Kendra, but Professor Prince swept in at that very moment and said loudly, "Do not sit down yet. I have decided whom you shall all be paired with for this year of the course."

There was a collective groan and Astra felt her stomach sink. Augustin wouldn't do this to her, would he? Surely he would just let her sit with Kendra like always? They never caused any trouble.

Prince began walking around the desks, slamming each one with his hand as he ordered students to sit at them.

"Northern, Lovegood, here."

Matilde Northern scrunched her nose up in indignation but said nothing as she trudged toward the specified desk. Prince continued in this manner, assigning Venusia and Gerbold a desk to share and then Kerrick and Geraint Prewitt. Aisling Rosier was sharing with Francis Prewitt and Lance Fawley found himself next to Jezebel MacNair.

"Frey," Professor Prince paused, tapping the next desk.

Astra held her breath.

"Black." Prince finished.

"WHAT?" Astra blurted.

Prince paused again, turning his head to look at her accusingly. His blue eyes bored into her own.

"Is there a problem, Miss Blishwick?" he said, his voice deadly.

Next to Astra, Kendra whispered, "Don't, Astra."

Astra looked at her cousin, who was looking equally as displeased about the situation and gritted her teeth, "No…. sir."

"Good." Prince sneered, "You and Mr Avery are sharing the last desk, Miss Blishwick."

Astra's mouth hung open. She glanced briefly at Guy Avery who also had a somewhat shocked expression and fought the urge to yell again. She stalked toward the designated desk and thrust her bag underneath it. The chair emitted a screeching sound as she dragged it along the stone floor. Astra averted her gaze as Avery sat down next to her.

"Excellent." Prince announced. Astra clenched her fists under the table.

"Today you will all prepare a Wit-Sharpening Potion, something that _some_ of you are clearly in need of," Prince began, his eyes flashing toward Astra, "and supply me with a phial of your finished brew at the end of the class. Begin."

Astra's hands were shaking with anger as she ground up scarab beetles. Next to her, Guy Avery was mixing Ginger Root and Armadillo Bile into their solution.

"Shouldn't it be red?" he muttered.

"No." Astra snapped, "It'll be red after I put these scarab beetles in but it's not ready yet. It has to be blue first"

"Alright," Avery said, his voice tight, "I know _you're_ constantly fighting an inner demon, but you don't have to take it out on me."

"What?" Astra frowned up at him.

"Well, y'know, it must be tiring constantly being a let-down to your entire family." Avery mused.

"I don't care about my family." Astra ground out.

"Evidently," Avery snorted, "and the feeling must be mutual. Why else would they be trying to marry you off to such a perverted old creep. Strange really, to have _two _daughters and parcel them _both _off to the Princes just so that they can satisfy their disgusting desires. Your poor sis-"

But Astra's shaking hands had tipped her bowl of ground scarab beetles out onto the desk. They spilled everywhere as Astra lunged at Avery with a growl. Avery yelped, throwing his hands forward in an attempt to stop Astra from scratching his face off, and tipped the simmering cauldron sideways. The beginnings of the potion, still a sickly shade of green, mixed quickly with the ground scarab beetles and a severe hissing noise ensued.

"You piece of-" Astra was screaming as she grabbed desperately at the mess of ingredients now rolling around on the desk and floor.

Professor Prince was standing over them in an instant. He immediately cleared away the hissing potion with wave of his wand and then raised his voice slightly, "Miss Blishwick, Mr Avery, keep your hands to yourselves and clear away the rest of this mess. Now."

Prince's voice always sounded somewhat dangerous to Astra but now it was deadly serious. Gulping, Astra unclenched her fists. She didn't dare to meet Prince's eyes. The entire class had become silent aside from the sounds of correctly brewed, simmering potions.

"Detention, Miss Blishwick. Eight o'clock tonight."

Astra opened her mouth to protest her innocence.

"You can explain to me then why you felt it necessary to attack Mr Avery and, in the process, put the entire class in danger with a half finished, ill-prepared potion."

Astra briefly met Kendra's eyes and the dark-haired girl shook her head sadly. Astra resisted the urge to scream.

-AB-

"Can't you let anything go?" Kendra asked quietly.

Astra ignored her. She was trying to focus on the Charms homework she had just been given. She and Kendra were sat in a nook of the library, away from prying eyes. Venusia and Kerrick were in Care of Magical Creatures and Elias had taken Gerbold down to the Quidditch pitch to try and convince him to attempt flying. Astra already knew it was a pointless endeavour, but she couldn't be bothered to convince him otherwise.

"I'm serious, Astra. Prince is going to make you work with Avery all year, you can't try and kill him every lesson." Kendra continued.

"Want a bet?" Astra muttered. She _felt _Kendra roll her eyes.

"What was he saying anyway?" she murmured, glancing around quickly.

Astra sighed, abandoning her Charms work to look her friend in the face. Footsteps paced past them, but they couldn't see who they belonged to due to their positioning behind a massive bookshelf.

"He was saying horrid things about the Prince brothers." Astra said.

Kendra frowned, her thick eyebrows knotting themselves, "But you don't like the Prince brothers."

"No, I don't like Valentin and Constantin." Astra corrected her.

"Ah, but you do like Professor Prince?" Kendra asked, now wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. It was Astra's turn to roll her eyes.

"Yes, I like Augustin. He's a friend… I think."

There was a beat of silence. And then Astra ploughed on.

"But it wasn't just that. Avery was suggesting that Valentin was… doing unsavoury things to Eily."

Kendra gasped, an expression of horror contorting her features, "You don't believe him, do you? Honestly, Astra, how on earth would he know? He's got to have been making it up just to upset you."

"I know _that_. But I do think he might be right, Kenny. Every time I've seen Eily recently she's been miserable."

"Pregnancy can do that to a person, Astra. It's a stressful time." Kendra said, gently.

"Not that stressful." Astra muttered.

Kendra cleared her throat, apparently desperate to change the subject.

"Iola was unusually talkative in Potions today."

Astra had been so distracted by Avery's remarks that she had completely forgotten Kendra had worked with her cousin.

"Oh yeah?"

Kendra nodded, "Yeah. Nothing in particular but she was pleasant enough."

Well that was unusual. Iola normally didn't talk to Astra's friends or, in fact, anyone who wasn't in Slytherin. She was typically quite withdrawn and lonely. She briefly thought back to that very morning when Iola had been so happily engrossed in conversation with the other Slytherins and frowned.

"Maybe she wants something." Astra joked and Kendra hit her gently with her Charms book. They both laughed.

-AB-

After dinner Astra headed down to the dungeons for her detention. The same depressed, musty atmosphere hit her and she sighed.

Professor Prince was marking papers at his desk, his black hair hanging in his face. Astra knocked tentatively on the open door.

"Come in, Miss Blishwick." He ordered.

Astra ambled into the classroom. It was tidier than it had been during their class earlier that day, even without ingredients laying around everywhere. The desks were all completely clear and looked freshly polished.

"Sir?" Astra probed.

He raised his head and she met his blue eyes.

Pointing toward the store cupboard, he said, "Collect the required ingredients, Miss Blishwick, you will remake the potion you so carelessly spilled earlier today"

He waved his wand and a solitary black cauldron appeared on the table nearest his own desk. As Astra headed toward the ingredient shelves he continued, "The mark you receive for tonight's work will be added to both yours and Mr Avery's records and I suggest that you do not want to anger him anymore than you already have."

Well, Astra thought, he wasn't wrong.


	5. Chapter 5

**Astra Blishwick – Five**

After an hour and a half, Astra finally decided that her Wit-Sharpening Solution was complete. She used her wand to extinguish the flames she had lit under her cauldron and tried to uncork a phial. Unfortunately, her hands had become incredibly sticky and slick from the preparation of the ingredients and they slid along the phial, failing to move the cork even an inch. Growing frustrated, and increasingly tired, she snatched up her wand and pointed it at the phial. Muttering a spell, the phial suddenly exploded. Astra yelped.

Professor Prince's head snapped up immediately, "Are you alright, Miss Blishwick?" he asked, hurrying over to her and grabbing her hand. Blood pooled in her palm and a shard of glass protruded from her skin. Astra looked away; she did not like the sight of blood, it usually made her throw up.

Prince, also aware of this, told her to keep her eyes fixed on the door behind her and then gently said, "I'm going to pull the glass out, Astra, and then fix the wound and clean it up, alright? It will sting a little but I'm sure you've experienced worse."

Astra nodded, her eyes staring directly at the door, trying to dissect the wooden panels within it so as to distract herself. She felt Prince's hand grip her own gently and then a sharp tug.

"Ouch!" she gasped, fighting the urge to clench her injured fist.

Then she felt a wand tip on the cut and a warmth spreading through her palm. The stickiness she had felt before; a mixture of potion ingredients and blood, began to fade away and she looked back down at her hand.

A small scar ran along her palm, looking bright red and sore, but it didn't hurt. Prince let go of her hand and put his wand away. Her eyes met his own.

"Thanks." She muttered.

"You're welcome." He said. "Allow me to bottle up your potion, Miss Blishwick, I don't need you causing any more explosions in my classroom."

Astra felt herself go red. Prince was making it sound like she was terrible at his subject, but neither of the catastrophes she had so far caused had had anything to do with her potions abilities. In fact, the brew she had just concocted was, she was certain, almost perfect.

"It looks acceptable. I'm sure Mr Avery could not have done better anyway." Prince commented.

"Thank you, sir." Astra said, her voiced laced with sarcasm, "It's been my lifelong dream to be deemed 'acceptable' by you. Finally I can sleep at night."

Prince snorted. He waved his wand and all of Astra's hard work vanished, leaving only a small phial that he had filled perfectly. He picked it up and returned to his desk, shoving it into a drawer and then looking back up at Astra.

"Miss Blishwick there is something I wish to discuss with you." He said, and his brow was furrowed; he was seemingly choosing his words very carefully.

"If it's about either of your _wonderful_ brothers…" Astra started, anger rising up inside her.

"It isn't." he cut in, "Well, not directly. Though I believe they may come into it, if you wish."

"Trust me, sir, I don't wish them to come into anything. They do it of their own accord."

He attempted to hide a smile at this, "Yes, they've a nasty habit of inserting themselves into situations in which they are not wanted." He mused, "But what I want to discuss with you, Miss Blishwick, is potions."

Astra feigned shock, clutching a hand to her chest, "You, Professor Prince, my potions teacher, wish to talk to me, a student taking the subject, about…. potions?"

"Astonishing, I know." Prince smirked, "But please, take a seat." He waved vaguely to the desk in front of his own, expecting Astra to sit at it but instead she planted herself on top of it and stared down at him.

She briefly considered how strange it would be if she were the teacher and he the student. Astra thought she would probably be a terrible teacher. She often could not stop herself from telling people what she actually, truly, thought of them and this was not a tack she had ever seen a teacher take. Kendra would be much better than her, she thought. Kendra was kind and understanding; she had the patience to sit with someone and genuinely find out what was troubling them.

"You are good at potions, Miss Blishwick." Prince's statement brought Astra back to current situation.

She blinked.

"….yes." she acknoweledged. This wasn't news to her; she knew she was good at potions. Along with charms and DADA it was one of the subjects she had always been naturally talented at. Astra could spend hours churning through Astronomy homework or gazing at her Divination textbook, hoping against hope that the information would magically float into her head, but potion recipes, charms, the dark arts- they all came easily to her.

Prince did not seem to react to her confused confidence. Instead he stood up and headed to the blackboard. Then, as if he were teaching a classroom full of students, he wrote on the board.

'_1869 Wizarding Schools Potions Championship (in memory of Quintia McQuoid')_

Astra knew what it was. She'd briefly heard her sister, Eily, talking about it whilst she had been at Hogwarts. The competition brought together students from different wizarding schools across the globe to compete for an international reputation as a talented potioneer and a prize. Frustratingly, Eily had failed to mention what the prize was.

"You are lucky, Miss Blishwick, that the competition has fallen during your seventh year. It only occurs once every seven years, so all Hogwarts students have the chance to compete during their tenure here, but you have a significant advantage due to it coinciding with your final year." Prince told her firmly.

Astra swallowed, "I presume you want me to represent Hogwarts at the competition then?" she asked.

Prince snorted, "I don't _want_ anything, Miss Blishwick. The Hogwarts representative will be whomever I decide is the best potioneer amongst our student body. However, as the prize is a golden cauldron and a potential future career…."

"You thought I might show an interest." Astra realised, the pieces of the puzzle coming together in her head.

"Indeed." He murmured. "It would be more than enough to keep yourself, Miss Blishwick, and the career opportunities would be endless. You never need concern yourself with my brothers again."

Astra almost couldn't believe it. Here was Augustin Prince, going to the trouble of ensuring that Astra knew about this opportunity and then encouraging her to take it, enabling her freedom from the prospect of marrying his own brother.

"I could hug you, y'know?" she said, almost giggling.

He smiled, somewhat warily, "I suggest that you do not. Our friendship is put on hold the second you enter Hogwarts as a student every year."

Astra rolled her eyes. She knew this, of course. And Augustin Prince was obsessed with rules and properness. Though he made for more enjoyable company than either of his two brothers, they did have a certain lax attitude towards propriety that Augustin had drilled into him.

"True," she began, "but I do recall that you used my given name earlier this evening."

Prince blanched a little and began sputtering an apology, but Astra snorted.

"Don't worry about it, _Professor_," she said, emphasising the title, "I won't tell a living soul."

As she left the classroom she heard him muttering anxiously.

"If she tells a ghost I swear to all that is good in this world I'll…."

-AB-

Elias was still embarrassed the next morning about his accidental almost fall from the staircase. Neither did it help when Venusia Crickerly entered the great hall with two other Ravenclaws who looked pointedly at Elias and giggled, and then detached herself from them and sat down next to Gerbold.

"Oh, you've told them, have you?" Elias sneered at her.

Venusia frowned, "What on earth are you talking about?" she asked, her tone somewhat shrill.

Next to Astra, Kerrick shot Elias a warning glance. The great hall was reasonably full this morning and any argument the two of them might have would be heard by everyone.

"You told them," Elias jerked a thumb toward the Ravenclaws, who kept occasionally glancing back at him and then turning around quickly when he noticed, as if he was Medusa, "about me almost falling off the stairs yesterday?"

Astra felt Kerrick tense as Venusia's features contorted into an expression of sheer annoyance.

"And why, Grimstone, would I spend my time talking to _my_ housemates about _your_ misfortunes, when I have far more noteworthy things to do with my time?" she asked, raising her eyebrows at the Hufflepuff boy.

"Maybe we should leave?" Gerbold suggested weakly to Kerrick and Astra.

Kerrick looked pained already, as if he had known that Elias would ignore his warning and he should have just cast a silencing charm on their friend.

Astra, on the other hand, was half intrigued to see how bad Elias and Venusia's confrontation would get and also half anxious about the whereabouts of Kendra.

"You're sure you saw her this morning in the Gryffindor common room?" she asked Kendra's housemates again.

Gerbold looked confused at this apparent and sudden change of topic but Kerrick nodded.

"She seemed fine, Astra. Stop worrying, she probably just had to talk to a teacher or something."

Astra glanced up to the teachers' table and scanned it quickly. Most of the Professors seemed to be present. The caretaker, Rancorous Carpe, was noticeably absent but some Slytherins had entered the great hall about fifteen minutes ago laughing about an exploded toilet on the third floor. Astra assumed that the caretaker had been sent to sort that out. Professor Prince briefly caught Astra's eye but swiftly returned to his conversation with Professor Trimble.

"Black's not there." Astra realised out loud.

"Huh?" Kerrick followed her gaze.

Phineas Nigellus Black's usual spot at the staff table was empty.

"Perhaps he finally got sick of teaching 'mudbloods'" Gerbold said the word with disgust, "and spontaneously combusted?"

Astra choked on her pumpkin juice, "I wish." She rasped.

"Your delightful cousin isn't around either, Astra." Kerrick noted, glancing over to the Slytherin table.

"Oh?" Astra frowned. Iola had already been gone by the time Astra woke up that morning and she had thought nothing of it. It was typical for Iola to get to breakfast early, though she did not normally leave until the very end.

Just then, Kendra stumbled in, breathing heavily. Her dark hair looked well combed and her robes were perfectly in place, but her cheeks were flushed scarlet and her eyes were wide.

"Blimey Kenny," Kerrick started.

"What the hell happened?" Astra finished.

Kendra looked at them, seemed to notice Elias and Venusia still arguing, and shook her head, "Uhhh, nothing. I just…thought I'd run here; keep myself healthy and all. Are there any apples left?"

Kerrick, looking thoroughly unconvinced by Kendra's excuse, handed her a green apple and moved a little so that she could sit down.

Kendra met Astra's eyes, threw her a look that unmistakably said, _'I'll tell you later'_ and started gnawing at her apple.

Seconds later, Phineas Nigellus Black slunk into the hall through the left side door at the staff table and sat down inconspicuously. But Astra did not fail to notice his gaze slide slowly over her and then across to Kendra, eyes narrowing.

"C'mon," Astra said, suddenly feeling uncomfortable, "we've got divination. Eat your apple on the way, Kendra."


	6. Chapter 6

**Astra Blishwick - Six**

Astra, Kendra, Gerbold and Venusia filed into divination silently. Professor Bloom was ready and waiting for them, crystal balls placed on every desk.

Bloom had long curly white hair and wide hazel eyes. His hair was filled with real flowers, all at various different stages of decay. His clothes resembled matted curtains and it looked more like he had lain on them and rolled them around himself than actually put them on. Astra suspected that the only times he ventured down from his room, which was only accessible by a ladder through a porthole, were to eat, teach and pick new flowers.

"Ah, Miss Blishwick," Professor Bloom said, his sing-song voice as annoying as ever, "Professor Prince informed me of your decision to continue Divination. Although of course I already knew." An airy smile crossed his face and Astra fought the urge to smack it off.

"Four to a ball. Four to a ball!" Bloom announced, bouncing around on the balls of his feet at the front of the classroom.

Venusia, Gerbold, Kendra and Astra sat around a crystal ball and stared at it unenthusiastically. Only her own reflection stared back at Astra. She suddenly wished she'd brushed her hair better.

"Now!" Bloom squealed excitedly, "Look into your balls, one at a time, and predict something for the person to your left!"

Mumbling ensued around the classroom and the four friends looked at each other.

"I'll go first then, shall I?" Gerbold asked, shrugging. He leaned forward and stared at the crystal ball, concentrating, hard.

Venusia fidgeted irritably, trying to see over Gerbold's shoulder what he might predict for her. Astra watched Bloom skip around the room, occasionally squealing and handing a student a half moldy flower.

"I think I can see a toilet." Gerbold announced suddenly.

Astra snorted. Kendra clapped a hand to her mouth to stop her laughing. Venusia looked horrified.

"A toilet?" She demanded indignantly, "You are predicting me a toilet?"

"Well, we'll all have to use them at some point in the future. Maybe for you it's just the more...immediate future." Astra suggested, smirking.

Venusia shot her a resigned glare and then shoved Gerbold out of the way so that she could look into the crystal ball.

She bit her lip for a few moments and then hummed.

"A bird?" She asked, somewhat unsure.

Then, "No, no! It's...it's gone. But- oh! It's back again! And now it's faded once more...oh! Oh, it's back!"

Venusia continued in this manner for a few minutes, announcing the coming and going of the 'bird' every few seconds.

"Do you think she's finally having a breakdown?" Astra mused.

Eventually, Kendra placed a hand on Venusia's arm and gently said, "We get it, Ven, there's a flickering bird in my future. Shall I go next?"

Venusia leaned back and let out a long breath that Astra suspected she had been holding the entire time.

"Just don't tell me you've seen a Prince. That never seems to mean what it sounds like." Astra warned.

Kendra grinned. She stared deeply into the crystal ball and waved her hands around it dramatically. The other three bit their tongues to keep from laughing.

"Astra Blishwick!" Kendra cried in a high-pitched voice. Astra let out a strangled snort.

"I see it! So bright and yet so dark! So big and yet so small! So easy and yet so difficult. I see..."

They all held their breath, rather impressed with Kendra's act.

"A cauldron!" She squawked.

"Thrilling." Astra deadpanned.

"Ah, but wait, young witch!" Kendra whirled around to Astra, wiggling her eyebrows like a maniac, "For within it there is...a baby!"

"Ah yes," Astra nodded, "my favourite thing to brew."

Gerbold and Venusia both let out muffled laughs through their hands. But none of them had noticed Professor Bloom advancing on them, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.

"A baby in a cauldron?" He squealed at Kendra who immediately dropped her act.

"Well," She said sheepishly, "something like that. Could just be another toilet."

"Ah, no, child. It is indeed as you say." Bloom announced, glancing into the crystal ball, "But this is not just any baby, it is a royal baby. It is..."

_Don't say it. Don't say it. Don't say it_. Astra prayed silently in her head.

"a Prince!" Bloom concluded, presenting Kendra with a moldy daisy. Kendra took it tentatively, a look of disgust on her face.

Astra rolled her eyes.

"It's almost as if the fact that I'm supposed to be marrying Constantin Prince is common knowledge." The blonde drawled, not looking at Bloom.

Professor Bloom cleared his throat and tapped his foot impatiently, "Actually, Miss Blishwick, I believe that neither of the things Miss Frey and myself have seen in this crystal ball have anything to do with Constantin Prince."

Astra blinked. He couldn't be serious. Everyone knew about her parents' desperate desires for her to marry Constantin. There was no way Bloom had seen those things in the crystal ball and not been thinking about Constantin.

"He's talking rubbish, as usual." Venusia reassured the Slytherin girl as Professor Bloom skipped away to the next table full of unsuspecting victims.

Breathing deeply, Astra leaned forward and stared at the crystal ball, wondering whether it actually meant anything. She didn't believe that it could show a person's future. Whenever she looked into it she just made something up, as she had always assumed everyone else did. But, then again, maybe she just wasn't very good at Divination.

Catching Venusia's eye, Astra squinted hard and then said, "I think I see a wand, Gerbold, but it could be a toilet plunger...hard to tell."

-AB-

After lunch, Venusia, Elias and Astra headed down onto the school grounds.

"No more lessons today." Elias announced, lying back in the lush grass by the lake, grinning. He close his eyes and hummed.

"Lucky for some." Astra muttered. She still had astronomy, along with Kendra and Venusia, but it wasn't until midnight up in the astronomy tower. She was not looking forward to an hour in the dark with Professor Black.

"Have you done the charms homework yet Astra?" Venusia asked, "Because I finished it last night but I'm not sure if I should have included an extensive list of uses for each spell or just the important ones."

"Oh I haven't finished it yet." Astra said, "But I imagine I'll just put the main uses."

The idea of doing any more work than was absolutely necessary was repulsive to Astra but Venusia prided herself on included everything she possible could.

Venusia muttered a quick "Right." And then yanked a stack of books out of her bag and sat down to read.

Astra watched the giant squid swimming lazily in circles, wishing she had treasured her first six years at Hogwarts more. It felt like they had flown by and at the time she had been more than happy about it. But now she wished she could stay forever and she cursed herself for ever wanting the time to go quickly. She fingered her necklace that hung from a thin silvery chain. It was a miniaturised curio, a magical object that she and Kendra had stolen from Professor Mole's office during their very first week in first year. Astra smiled at the memory; it was how they had become best friends. The curio had originally been as big as Astra's own hand, but Kendra had cast a shrinking spell on it and handed it to the blonde, telling her it would "Look nice on a necklace."

"Talk of the angel." Astra muttered as she looked up to the castle and saw Kendra herself waltzing down to join them.

The dark-skinned girl plonked herself down unceremoniously next to Astra and looked over at the other two. Elias appeared to have gone to sleep and Venusia was thoroughly enthralled by her ancient runes textbook.

Astra decided it was a good time to ask the question that had been playing on her mind all morning.

"So what really had you stressed at breakfast?"

Kendra chuckled, "I thought you might ask that." She said.

Astra gave her a look of prompting and Kendra sighed.

She lowered her voice and said, "I went up to the astronomy tower to ask Professor Black if there was a spare astronomy textbook I could borrow since I realised I'd left mine at home, but he wasn't there so I waited around a while."

Her eyes darted to Elias but he had begun to snore gently.

"But then, after a few minutes, I could hear him coming back but he wasn't alone so I panicked and hid in a cabinet."

"Ah," Astra nodded, "the most sensible course of action, naturally."

Kendra hit her friend gently, "Don't you smirk at me, Astra! I can't think on my feet, you know that!"

"So you spied on my cousin from the cabinet." Astra said, urging Kendra to continue.

It was Kendra's turn to smirk, "I spied on your cousins, Astra. Cousins; plural."

Astra felt her mouth fall open slightly, recalling that she hadn't seen Iola at breakfast.

"And Phineas seemed awfully angry. He yelled for a bit, telling Iola that she was a fool if she thought she could trick him and that it was all obviously an act-"

"What was all obviously an act?" Astra frowned.

"I'm not sure," Kendra admitted, "I think that must have been mentioned before they came in. But he sounded furious. And then Iola asked him if she should just spend her free time with Gryffindors like..." she paused, "...like you do. Phineas didn't take _that_ very well, but I think Iola knew he wouldn't."

Astra, surprisingly, didn't feel as angry about Phineas' remark as she thought she would. He'd never liked her, both before and after he became her teacher.

"They both left after a bit more shouting." Kendra finished quietly.

"I just wish Phineas had said exactly what he thought Iola was trying to trick him about." Astra mused.

Both of them knew that Iola Black would never tell them, whether they asked or not. Iola had always made absolutely sure not to get too close to anyone.

-AB-

Astra spent the hours leading up to their astronomy lesson wondering whether or not to tell her friends about what Augustin had said to her in detention. She knew he wouldn't want her to. If it became common knowledge that he was recommending a lifestyle contrary to that of Astra's and his own pure blood family's desires then he would be in trouble. But she also knew that her friends would become increasingly suspicious if she suddenly started to try hard in potions and only potions. Furthermore, she didn't want to get their hopes up. If she told them there was a possibility of her not being carted off as a pureblood housewife at the end of the year and then she failed to achieve it, she would crush them. And that was the last thing she wanted.

The whole astronomy class had cast 'lumos' with their wands by the time Professor Black arrived. Astra was standing next to Kendra and Venusia, shivering. She knew she should have put an extra layer on but she had carelessly disregarded the thought.

"Put those lights out!" Professor Black snapped, sweeping through the centre of the students who all rushed out of his way, tripping over each other to avoid being told off.

Once it was pitch black again, Professor Black instructed them all to map certain stars and compare their results to the same time last year, when they had done the same thing. For their homework, they had to predict the same alignment for the next year.

"Obviously most of you won't be here to see those results come to pass," Black was saying, "although some of you clearly are stupid enough to require another year to successfully pass your NEWTs."

"He can't say that!" Venusia gasped.

"He just did." Astra said bitterly.

"The git." Kendra muttered, also shivering slightly.

Black yelled at them all to get on with their task and then swept back inside the castle.

"Is he just going to leave us here unsupervised?" Lance Fawley wondered aloud.

"That's so unprofessional!" Venusia said, sounding shocked at the mere thought.

Astra wasn't sure what Black intended to do but she decided that just getting on with the work was the best course of action. They'd have to complete it anyway; whether Black came back or not.

Fifty minutes later, when the despised Professor did eventually return, he glared around at them all, trying to see if anyone had dared defy him in his absence.

"That's enough." He announced suddenly, "This class is over. If you have not finished your map by now then you are not good enough to continue taking this subject and should drop it immediately. Good night."

And with that, he swept away once again.

The students all stood there, open mouthed. Professor Black had always been a fairly pathetic excuse for a teacher but he'd never just left them before.

"What a jerk." A Ravenclaw boy said into the quiet.

There were murmurs of agreement from all around.


	7. Chapter 7

**Astra Blishwick – Seven**

The next few weeks went by with little fuss. Astra spent more of her free time studying potions; a new concept to her since she was used to just being good at it without trying. Augustin seemed satisfied with her increased efforts and didn't mention the competition again.

The week before Halloween, Astra and her friends were sat at breakfast, busy chattering about the upcoming feast.

"How fancy are you going to dress, Astra?" Venusia asked, poking at a piece of bacon.

Astra looked up at the Ravenclaw but Kerrick answered for her, "Astra won't be there, Ven. She always has to go to her sister's birthday party at Halloween, remember?"

"Oh, of course!" Venusia nodded, now chewing her bacon furiously, "You always get permission from Prince to go because he has to go too, right?" she swallowed.

"Yeah." Astra sighed, glancing up at the staff table and seeing the Potions Master trying his best to ignore a conversation between Professors Trimble and Bloom.

"Is it extremely pretentious?" Venusia enquired.

Kerrick and Astra shared a looked and then chuckled, "More so than you could ever imagine, Ven." Kerrick said.

Astra had seen Kerrick at only a few of the frequent pureblood family parties but his parents often attended since the Shacklebolts were a respected pureblood line. Kerrick himself, however, often convinced his parents that he was better off avoiding the parties for the time being; he would begin attending after he left school. Gerbold's family, the Ollivanders, were also frequently invited to such parties due to their pureblood status but rarely, if ever, turned up. Astra suspected it was because they were always too busy making more wands. During their first year at Hogwarts, Gerbold had been keen to invite his new friends home during the summer but as the years had gone on he had stopped mentioning it, telling them that there was no room in his house because his parents kept filling every spare inch of space with new wands.

Just then, dozens of owls flew into the hall, dropping parcels and letters everywhere. A large stack of bound letters landed in Venusia's lap and she tore away at them eagerly.

"Probably replies from apprenticeship applications she's applied for at the Ministry." Kerrick commented nonchalantly.

"Shouldn't you start applying for those too?" Astra asked him.

Kerrick waved his hand at her as if to wave away the problem and Astra became distracted by a dark green envelope that landed on her plate. Pulling it out of her beans she wiped it on a nearby napkin and ripped it open. The letter inside was printed on a slightly lighter green coloured paper and the words were all a calligraphic silver.

_To Miss Astra Aurelia Blishwick,_

_We are delighted to announce that you are cordially invited to the birthday celebration of Eily Elsbeth Prince. The event will take place at the Prince Manor, 7:30pm, Saturday the 31__st__ October. _

_We sincerely hope you can join us,_

_With love,_

_Valentin and Eily._

Astra looked over at Kerrick, "Where's your fancy invite then?"

Kerrick shrugged, "My parents probably kept it, knowing I wouldn't want to go. Same with Gerbold I expect."

Astra groaned. Why was it only ever her that had to be put through such stupid traditions? Over at the Slytherin table, Astra noticed several older students opening similar green envelopes. Iola quickly shoved hers into her pocket. MacNair, Avery and Rosier all appeared to have received invitations which didn't surprise her. All three of them usually did attend such events but rarely interacted with Astra, preferring to keep to themselves and leave as soon as their parents allowed in order to go back to one of their own houses and entertain themselves.

Up at the staff table Astra watched Augustin flinch as his own green envelope splashed into his goblet. He picked it up, dabbed it with a cloth and then, without even opening it, thrust it into his pocket and continued eating.

"Any good news, Venusia?" Kendra asked, having realised what Venusia was up to.

The Ravenclaw girl shook her head but continued rifling through yet to be opened letters.

Kendra leaned over to Astra and noticed the letter clutched in her hand.

"Eily's birthday?"

Astra nodded.

"Y'know," she told Kendra quietly, "I just wish she'd actually write to me. I'd prefer that over a fancy invite to a stupid party."

-AB-

There was a small queue of Slytherins waiting outside Professor Prince's office by the time Astra got there. As ridiculous as it all was, she had to request formal permission from her Head of House in order to be allowed the time off to attend Eily's party.

Prince's office door creaked open and Iola came out looking as miserable as ever. She shuffled past the queue of her housemates and Astra without looking at any of them.

Prince poked his head around the door, took in the queue and paused.

"All of you just come in and write your names down on some parchment, I'll file the time off later. Saves each of you going through the entire form with me one at a time." He sighed.

He looked especially tired today, his dark hair hanging even more unruly than usual around his sharp features.

Astra followed the other Slytherins into the office and waited to sign her name. She heard a quill scratch along parchment several times and then Jezebel MacNair turned around and thrust the writing implement into Astra's hand. Not waiting any longer, she and her companions left the office, muttering.

Astra signed her name underneath the others and then replaced the quill. She turned to leave when Prince said, "Hold on a moment, Miss Blishwick."

Astra bit her lip. What could she possibly have done now?

"You're not in trouble." Prince chuckled, as though he knew what she was thinking, "I simply need your advice on something."

He lounged in his seat and folded up the piece of parchment they had all written their names on.

"I need to know what sort of things Eily likes." He said.

Astra raised a brow.

"I have to get her a birthday present." Prince said through slightly gritted teeth, "And I'm afraid to say that I hardly know the woman. But, she is your sister, so I'm assuming that you do."

"Well," Astra mused, "that's debatable. But surely you've bought her presents before? You've known her for years."

"This is true. But before they were small, simple gifts that I could have given to any woman. Now she is my sister in law I, regrettably, am expected to spend more money on something much more…personal." He ground out, clearly not enchanted by the idea.

Astra snorted, "How kind of you."

She thought for a minute and then said, "Well, she likes chocolate, flowers; particularly lilies, she has a strange affinity for magical water ornaments and, obviously, she has a baby on the way."

Prince nodded thoughtfully, "Water ornaments." He muttered, scrawling it onto the back of the parchment he had folded up.

"Is that everything, sir?" Astra asked.

Prince looked up at her, "Oh, yes. Although," he paused momentarily, "you wouldn't happen to know if your cousin is alright, would you, Miss Blishwick?"

"Iola?" Astra frowned.

Prince nodded, waiting for an answer.

"I….I assume so, sir. She doesn't really confide much in me, I'm afraid. We aren't particularly close inside Hogwarts. Why do you ask?"

Astra watched a strong of conflicting emotions fight for control over the Professor's expression. He seemed…worried but also guarded. It was as if he was anxious for Iola but unsure whether or not he should tell Astra why. Then he leaned forward and gave her an authoritative look.

"What I am about to tell you, Miss Blishwick, does not leave this office, understood?" he said seriously.

Astra nodded, suddenly feeling uneasy. It was as if all of the potions ingredients stacked on the shelves behind Prince were suddenly watching her.

"I caught Miss Black trying to steal ingredients from my private stocks." He said quietly.

Astra gasped, "Iola?" she gaped at him, "She wouldn't-"

"I assure you, Miss Blishwick, she definitely would have, had I not prevented her. Unless, of course, you are suggesting that I am lying to you."

Astra shook her head immediately. She trusted Augustin Prince immensely. But Iola, a thief? It certainly wasn't in character with what Astra had thought she knew of her cousin.

"And," Prince continued, "the ingredients she was attempting to take were many of the components required for a Gestation Numbing Potion."

Astra felt as if her jaw had hit the floor.

"You think Iola's pregnant?" she gawked at him as if he had grown an extra arm.

"I do not know, Miss Blishwick. Needless to say, if she is, she will not find all of the necessary ingredients required to make the Numbing potion in my stores since I do not have Unicorn essence."

Astra wasn't surprised he didn't stock it. As far as she knew, Gestation Numbing Potion was the only thing that used it and Prince obviously wasn't going to have need of that.

"Do you want me to find out if she's pregnant, sir?" Astra asked.

Prince rolled his eyes, "You make it sound as if I personally wish to know. I am telling you, Blishwick, so that you can help your cousin, should she need it. Though I would strongly suggest that if she is pregnant, it is Madame Fairborne and a bed in the Hopsital Wing that she requires, not some of the ingredients from my private stocks."

"Right." Astra said slowly.

"You may go now." Prince dismissed her.

Nodding, Astra clutched her bag to her chest and left the office, her mind racing. If Iola was pregnant, why had she tried to steal from Prince rather than telling someone and getting help? _There's an obvious answer to that, Astra_, her mind told her. If Iola suddenly announced she was pregnant her family would disown her and she'd have nowhere to go. But what was she going to do with a baby? How was she going to keep it a secret after it was born? Maybe this was why Iola had seemed so blasé about getting married; maybe she needed the marriage to cover up the pregnancy. But who on earth could Iola have had an affair with? As far as Astra knew, Iola didn't mix with many wizards. Although, she thought, her cousin had been spending a _lot_ more time with the Slytherins this year.

"It depends on how far along she is." Astra muttered to herself, tripping on a trick step in the staircase she was ascending.

If Iola had reached the point of requiring Gestation Numbing Potion she must be at least a few weeks along. Astra knew the Potion was for pregnancy related sickness. Often pregnancies ran smoothly, with only a little sickness endured by the mother. But other times there was immense nausea and vomiting every day. Astra knew because Eily had had it throughout most of her pregnancy. She had only recently come off Gestation Numbing Potion at the recommendation of Valentin Prince's father, a medical healer at 's who said that the baby would not deal well with immense amounts of the stuff in the final few weeks.

Maybe she should offer some of Eily's potion to Iola, Astra thought. But that seemed risky. Astra couldn't imagine the awkwardness that would ensue if she did offer Iola the potion, only to find out that she wasn't pregnant at all.

Answering the common room password, Astra trudged into the Slytherin clad room. She felt incredibly exhausted, despite it still being the morning. Deciding she would go back to bed for a bit, she climbed the stairs to her dormitory and collapsed onto her four poster. She pulled the crumpled green invitation from her pocket and tossed it into her trunk, she would burn it later.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: **Thank you so much if you're still here, aha. I hope you're enjoying so far, have a wonderful day and if you fancy it, let me know what you think. No pressure, haha!

**Astra Blishwick – Eight**

Divination had quickly become Astra's most frustrating subject. It wasn't as bad as astronomy in the darkness with miserable Professor Black, but it was just so…pointless. She felt that she might as well spend the hours asleep instead of listening to the endless rubbish they all had to spout in these lessons and she would make just as much progress.

Professor Bloom waltzed around the room like a fairy on opium, squealing about 'the beyond' and back-combing his ridiculous hair. Astra did her best to ignore him.

"Percival said he might visit next week." Kendra said in a hushed voice, pretending to analyse Astra's tea leaves.

"Oh?" the blonde enquired.

"He said he might be in Hogsmeade the first Saturday of November. It coincides with our Hogsmeade visit." Kendra said.

"That'll be nice for you." Astra commented lightly, though inside she was slightly frustrated. It had been bad enough forgoing Hogsmeade visits with Kendra last year when Percival was still at Hogwarts. Now she had to hand Kendra over to him, even after he'd left?

"Hopefully." Kendra smiled, "He said we need to talk so that's either very good or very bad."

"Is it?" Astra had no idea. She'd never been in a relationship and the thought was foreign to her. She'd spent most of her life trying to avoid ending up in such a situation.

Kendra met her friend's eyes and chuckled, "I'm talking to the wrong person about this, aren't I?"

"Very much so." Astra confirmed, thinking that even the giant squid probably had more experience than she.

"Worry not, Astra, we'll find you someone. In fact, looking over these tea leaves, I think it could be a Prince." Kendra teased, a glint in her eye.

Astra sighed, pulling a mock menacing face "Must I physically assault you in a classroom full of people?"

The pair of them descended into giggles. Professor Bloom shot them a disapproving look and said loudly, "Concentrate or you will never see beyond the here and now!"

"I can see beyond the here and now," Elias muttered nearby, "it involves an eccentric professor with a face full of scalding tea."

Astra snorted again.

"He's going with Venusia, you know." Kendra commented. The blonde frowned and Kendra rolled her eyes, "To _Hogsmeade_?" she said, as if she couldn't believe that Astra's memory could be so terrible.

"Oh!" Astra realised what her friend meant.

"And Kerrick asked Matilde Northern and she said yes. And Gerbold somehow got asked by Helen Fawley, Lance's younger sister." Kendra continued.

Astra's heart sank. So, all her friends had dates to Hogsmeade, and she didn't. It wasn't even Valentine's day, she thought, why did everyone need to go with someone?

"I think I'm going with my transfiguration textbook," Astra said, "but I might have to check, it could be charms that day."

Kendra snorted, "Potions more like." She said, deliberately avoiding her friend's gaze.

Astra leaned over the small round table to hush her and glanced around worriedly to see if anyone nearby had heard.

"What?" Kendra laughed, her eyes sparkling, "It's not as if you've hidden your new passion for the subject. Or is it a passion for the teacher?" she asked, sticking her tongue out.

Astra rolled her eyes, "Not this _again-_"

She started but she could not finish because the classroom door suddenly burst open to reveal Professors Mole, Trimble and Prince standing in the doorway. Augustin had a blank expression, as usual, Trimble appeared bored and the Headmistress looked frankly amused.

"Professor Bloom," Professor Mole asked, her voice heavy with authority, "might we borrow Miss Black for a few moments?"

All eyes turned to fix on Iola who shrank back, her eyes wide and worried.

"Nothing to worry about, Miss Black." Professor Mole reassured her, gesturing that she should hurry up.

Her words did nothing to help Iola who only seemed more scared with every second that passed but eventually packed her things away and followed the three teachers out of the classroom. Astra heard their footsteps echoing down the corridor and made a split-second decision.

"Sorry." She muttered to Kendra, throwing her books into her bag.

Kendra watched her best friend with confusion as Astra stood up, pushed her chair in, and hurried for the door.

"Where on earth are you going, Miss Blishwick?" Professor Bloom started but Astra had already yanked the door open and rushed through it.

"Hospital Wing!" she lied over her shoulder. The classroom door slammed shut behind her.

-AB-

Astra jogged in the direction of the footsteps she could still hear echoing in front of her. She assumed that the teachers were taking Iola to the Head's office, but she wasn't absolutely sure, and she didn't want to risk being wrong.

Turning a corner, she saw the hem of Iola's robes flicker at the other end of the corridor and ran to catch up. She vaguely heard the voice of the caretaker, Rancorous Carpe, calling after her, "Oy! Stop running in the corridors!"

She chased Iola and the teachers up a flight of stairs and finally came within reach of them in the next corridor.

"Professors!" Astra gasped, not realising how out of breath she was.

They all turned to look at her. Mole seemed less amused now and Trimble appeared impatient, planting a hand on his hip and raising a solitary brow at Astra. Prince shot Astra a questioning look. Iola kept quiet.

"Professors, why do you need to talk to Iola?" Astra asked, realising as she said it how stupid the question was. But she hadn't prepared what she was going to say.

Trimble cleared his throat, "I hardly think that is any concern of yours, Miss Blishwick. And I should take points for your insolence."

"Perhaps for her abandonment of a class that was not yet finished, Quentin," Prince cut in smoothly, "but Miss Blishwick's concern for Miss Black is understandable. They are family, after all. Might I suggest that yourself and the Headmistress take Miss Black and I shall join you after I return Miss Blishwick to her lesson."

Trimble opened his mouth to protest but Professor Mole said, "A good idea, Augustin. We shall see you in a moment." She turned and Iola followed, continuing down the corridor.

Trimble waited a beat more, glaring at Astra, before swishing his cloak around and following after them.

Immediately, Prince snatched Astra by the collar and dragged her into the nearest empty classroom, casting a locking charm on the door behind them.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" He snapped, releasing her against the back of a desk.

Astra gawked at him, "What am I doing?" she yelled, "What are you doing dragging me into empty rooms!?"

Prince stood only a metre away from her, baring down, "We can do this in the corridor if you wish, Miss Blishwick, but I assumed you wouldn't want to cause even _more_ of a scene than you already have!"

"I'm not the one interrupting lessons with the Headmistress and Defence Teacher in order to escort a student around the school like she's some sort of prisoner!" Astra barked back fiercly, "What do you all want with Iola?"

Prince was breathing heavily. His eyes darted around the room, as if making sure that nobody had passed through the walls to try and eavesdrop. Apparently deciding that they were safe, he lowered his voice.

"Professor Black has filed a…concern about Miss Black. He believes she may be under the influence of, or performing, dark magic. It is simple procedure to ensure that this is not the case, for Miss Black's safety as much as anyone else's."

Astra felt her fists clench, "So," she ground out, "this is Phineas' doing, is it? Can't he keep his nose out of things for more than a second?!"

"It's Professor Black to you, Miss Blishwick." Prince told her; a hint of irritancy detectable in his voice. Astra knew how much he hated her, often flagrant, disregard for formalities.

"He's my damn cousin, Aug! And of course Iola isn't doing any dark magic, he's only saying that because his life is so miserable and he has nothing better to-"

"Astra, please be quiet!" Prince suddenly yelled, louder than she had ever heard him raise his voice before. It was a strange mix; him using her first name so casually but all the while shouting at her. She wasn't surprised that she had managed to ruffle his feathers; calling him 'Aug' at school had never gone down well, she had only done it twice to her memory and had immediately regretted it both times.

But, to her immense surprise, Augustin spoke quietly and calmly, completely ignoring her slip up, "I know you may feel somewhat responsible for Miss Black, given what I have spoken to you about previously," he said steadily, "but I can assure you that she is perfectly safe. I am equally as certain as you are that she is not involved in any form of dark magic and therefore she will not face any consequences from today's investigation. Nevertheless, it is no reason for you to lose your mind."

It wasn't quite convincing enough to keep Astra quiet.

"But what if she is pregnant and they find out?" she asked desperately.

"Why do you think I was with Professor Trimble and Headmistress Mole?" Augustin raised a solitary eyebrow.

"Ah." Astra said, resigned to that fact that he seemed to have everything under control.

"Then I'm sorry for wasting your time, Professor. Please convey my apologies to Professors Mole and Trimble." She mumbled, looking directly at the floor.

She heard Augustin unlock the classroom door and head towards it.

"There is nothing to apologise for, Astra." He said gently before swooping out of the door.

-AB-

"So how long do you have detention for?" Kendra asked when Astra ran into her later that day.

The blonde just shook her head, deep in thought. The pair of them headed towards the library for their break before transfiguration.

Spreading her books all over their table, Kendra yanked a quill and ink bottle out of her bag. Astra just watched her, not in the mood for studying. The library was fairly empty, but Astra still couldn't clear her head enough to work, not that she often did any work.

"Prince took me into an empty classroom and yelled at me a bit, but nothing more." She told her friend who was busy copying ancient runes from a textbook onto some parchment. Astra had no idea what all the lines meant; she had never taken the subject.

Kendra's long dark hair fell in curtains around her face as she leaned over her parchment.

"Angry yelling or concerned yelling?" she asked.

Astra leaned back on her chair which let out a loud creak. She looked around briefly for the librarian, expecting to be chastised, but the woman was nowhere to be seen.

"Both?" she frowned, "Aren't they sort of the same thing? He was angry because he was concerned, I suppose."

Kendra chuckled, "No, no, Astra. I mean was it 'stop breaking the rules you annoying child, it means I'm obligated to do paperwork' yelling, or 'dear god Astra, please stop putting yourself in danger I could never live without your frustrating presence in my life' yelling?"

Astra opened her mouth to say that she had absolutely no idea, but a sneering voice interrupted them.

"I think we could _all_ do without Blishwick's frustrating presence in our lives, don't you Frey?" Guy Avery asked, approaching Astra and Kendra's table with Jezebel MacNair and Aisling Rosier behind him, like bats on his shoulders.

Tired and impatient, Astra bit back at him, "You obviously haven't seen your potions mark then, Avery. I achieved triple what you could even hope to dream of and it's going on both of our records. Without my 'frustrating presence' in your life, you'd be rather pushed for career prospects."

Avery, who was opening and closing his mouth like a goldfish at this, was shoved aside by Aisling Rosier who snapped back at Astra, "Guy could get whatever job he wanted next year because of his immense skill,"

Astra and Kendra both choked.

"unlike _you_, Blishwick." Rosier went on, "Because you'll be married off to that awful Constantin Prince to be a housewife forever. Sometimes it doesn't pay to have such influential parents, does it?" she leered at Astra.

"As if your parents aren't looking for a husband for you, Rosier." Kendra interjected suddenly, her ancient runes completely forgotten, "Surely they're desperate to be rid of you."

Rosier, who had previously not even spared Kendra a glance throughout the entire exchange, now looked at the Gryffindor seventh year with a mixture of disinterest and disgust.

"Watch your mouth, mudblood, once we're all out of school there's no rules to stop me dealing with you." Rosier said slowly.

"Go away, Rosier." Astra muttered, deadly quiet, glaring at the horrid girl.

Rosier studied Astra for a moment and then, apparently deciding that this fight was not worth her time, grabbed her two friends and dragged them away.

"Blood traitor." She hissed over her shoulder at Astra.

Astra just rolled her eyes. Those three were the only reasons she would be glad to leave school.

Over across the other side of the library, Iola Black hastily packed up her things and trundled out, staring at Astra the entire time.


	9. Chapter 9

**Astra Blishwick – Nine**

Astra's mind was elsewhere the next day as she sat in Charms, trying but failing to listen to Professor LeFaye. She couldn't work out a way of keeping watch on Iola and avoiding Phineas at the same time. Phineas just seemed to be sticking his nose in whenever and wherever he could. Although, Astra thought, maybe she did want to know more about what Phineas was up to. She was still none the wiser as to what exactly Phineas had accused Iola of when Kendra had overheard them. Something about putting on an act, Astra recalled, and not being able to fool Phineas.

Astra herself had found Iola's behaviour of late to be somewhat unusual. Her cousin had been mixing far more with the haughty Slytherins who enjoyed picking unwanted fights with 'mudbloods'. Astra's mind briefly flicked back too, to the end of the summer and Iola's unusually muted response to her mother's insistence that she marry within the year. Added to Augustin's proposed theory for why he had caught Iola ransacking his private potions store and….

Astra's mind was whirring but a hand slamming down on the desk in front of her stopped her in her tracks.

"Please, Miss Blishwick, if whatever you are thinking about is important enough to distract you from my lesson then, by all means, share it with the class." Professor LeFaye was saying, her narrowed eyes making contact with Astra's own through her enormous glasses. In the seat next to her, Astra heard Venusia gasp quietly. Professor LeFaye was not to be trifled with when she was angry, which was a very rare occurrence.

"Uhh..." Astra sputtered helplessly, her eyes darting around the classroom, "it's nothing, really Professor, I'm just a bit tired is all. Sorry."

"Well then," LeFaye said sharply, standing back from her towering position over Astra's desk, "perhaps you should manage your time better in the future Miss Blishwick, lest I call Professor Prince up here to tell me exactly what is really on your mind."

There was an excited murmur throughout the class; it was common knowledge that Prince could use legilimency but also well known that he was not allowed to do so without the express permission of the Headmistress. Perhaps Professor LeFaye had enough influence with Headmistress Mole that she could easily convince her of such an idea.

Astra swallowed thickly and nodded. LeFaye snapped at the rest of the class to be quiet and then continued to write out incantations on the blackboard.

"You alright? She must just be having a bad day, you know she's lovely most of the time." Venusia said in the lowest whisper Astra had ever heard in her life. Without even looking at the Ravenclaw for fear of being told off again, Astra murmured, "Fine."

-AB-

Astra wasted no time in trying to find her cousin as soon as the Charms lesson was over. She said a hasty "see you later!" to her friends and then rushed down towards the dungeons. She had just whirled around a corner, nearly spearing Cicero Lovegood onto a nearby coat of armour and hurriedly apologising, when Iola Black herself ran headlong into Astra's chest.

"Watch it!" Astra found herself snapping angrily before realising who she was talking to.

Her cousin's wide eyes looked up at her and Astra could see red rings around them. She had definitely been crying.

"Oh, Iola, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" she trailed off, feeling rather pathetic. She wasn't sure now, how she was going to go about this.

"Don't worry about it, Astra." Iola smiled a small smile and detached herself from her blonde cousin, "Actually, I wanted to speak to you, if that's alright?"

Astra felt herself frowning; this was an unexpected coincidence.

"Oh…of course. Do you want to go somewhere-"

"Private? Yes." Iola cut her off and snatched up her hand, dragging her around the corner she had just come from and into a closet. Astra watched her cousin charm the lock and then put up a silencing charm.

"Nobody can hear us now." She said, sounding happier than she had done outside the closet.

Astra briefly wondered what would happen if Iola chose this moment to murder her. Nobody would ever know. Iola could leave her body here and it might not be found for days. How long would it even take for somebody to realise she was missing? A week? No, she told herself; Kendra would notice sooner than that.

"There's something really important I want to tell you," Iola broke into Astra's thoughts, "but…." She paused, "I don't know if I can trust you."

The closet was dark and Astra thought she could make out a tentative look on Iola's face but it didn't stop the hurt welling up inside the taller Slytherin girl. Surely Astra was one of the only people Iola should feel she _could _trust?

_Maybe_, she thought, _but maybe it's something so important she'd still be worried even if she does trust me._

"You can trust me not to share anything you might tell me with our family, if that's what you mean." Astra said blatantly. In all honesty, Astra didn't really talk to their family enough to tell them anything at all, but Iola didn't need to know that.

"And you mustn't tell any of your friends or any of our housemates." Iola went on.

Astra held back a snort at the thought that she would ever impart any important knowledge upon someone like Guy Avery or Aisling Rosier. The very idea made her want to laugh.

"In fact," Iola said, sounding more worried than ever before, "you mustn't tell anyone at all. Nobody can know, not at home or at Hogwarts."

Astra bit her lip at this and then released it, hoping Iola hadn't seen. She knew that Augustin would want to know the truth and if it was up to Astra she knew that she would tell him; after all, she believed that Augustin only had Iola's best interests at heart. But she knew Iola wouldn't see it that way. She would see Augustin as the threat he seemed to be on first glance. The man was a Prince, the brother of Eily's husband and Astra's supposed intended. Close to their family, Iola certainly would not want Augustin finding out anything that might damage her reputation within the family.

"Alright," Astra began, not even sure within herself if she intended to keep the promise she was about to make, "I won't tell anyone. You can trust me, Iola."

She felt tangible relief come from the other girl who then looked up at her and began to blurt streams of information that made Astra's eyes so wide she thought they might pop.

"Well, it all started at the beginning of the summer when I met this muggle, Philip Hitchins, and he was concerned about his sister because she'd married an awful man, Jonny something or other, and he thought she'd only done it for his money, see, so that she could feed their family. Now, I wasn't particularly interested but Philip begged and begged and begged after he found out I was a witch and pleaded with me to scare Jonny off because he was a muggle, you see."

Astra raised a finger to Iola's lips, already confused.

"But," she asked, "how did Philip Hitchins know about magic if he was a muggle too?"

"Oh, they live with a squib and a wizard, Michael Bones and Septimius Malfoy. Philip told me something happened a while back and Bones ended up revealing magic to the Hitchins siblings. Malfoy wasn't best pleased but he's fallen out with his own family so he hasn't really got anywhere else to go and to be honest he's a nightmare to get along with-"

Astra cleared her throat and Iola seemed to realise that she was going off on a tangent.

"Anyway," she recovered smoothly, "Philip asked me to scare off Jonny because he knew Malfoy would refuse and get angry if he was asked and obviously Michael can't do any magic. So I tampered a bit with a picnic basket that he was preparing and it freaked him out. Eventually he left and had a bit of a yell about how weird the lot of them were and Philip and Bob were ever so grateful to me and it was wonderful. And then I started to see them more and more often and Bob and I spent more and more time together and, oh Astra, I fell in love!"

Astra felt like her brain had been mowed down by a train. She was still trying to understand what a _Malfoy_ was doing living with two muggles and a squib.

"Iola, who on earth is Bob?" she managed, feeling certain that Bob was not a character who had been introduced at the start of the story.

"Bob?" Iola repeated, "Well haven't you been listening? Bob is the one I fell in love with! And we're going to run away together, Astra. We're going to run away and be together forever and have our own little family!"

"Yes, yes, Iola." Astra said, getting rather impatient, "but who is Bob? You didn't mention him before in the story, he just appeared at the end."

Astra heard a tinkle of laughter from her cousin and then, "Of course I mentioned Bob, Astra. I said, didn't I, that Philip Hitchens wanted me to help his sister, so I did. And then we spent more time together and Bob was just the loveliest, most wonderful person ever and I just fell for her."

Astra rubbed her ears slightly at this. She was either confused or not hearing things correctly. Either way, she was certain that Iola Black could not possibly have just declared her undying love for a muggle, much less a muggle woman. This could not be happening- their family would go spare if they found out.

"Iola," she said slowly, determined to understand the situation fully, "are you telling me that you're in love with a muggle woman named _Bob_ and that you intend to run away with her?"

_Please say no. Please say no. Please say no. _

"Yes!" Iola whisper-shouted, "Her full name is Roberta Mary Hitchins and we're going to run away together and have our own little family. It'll all be glorious, especially when the baby comes….if the baby comes." Her voice went shaky at this and Astra suspected that this was the crux of why they now stood in the dark closet.

"It's just, Bob was pregnant by Jonny when he left and now she's got awful sickness from it. She's dreadfully ill with the pregnancy and Philip and I are worried it'll kill her. I did as much research as I could, because the muggles don't have a cure for it, and I found out about Gestation Numbing Potion so I tried to get the ingredients to make it from Prince's stores but he caught me so I couldn't go back and well, I just can't take it. I can't take the knowledge that she's getting sick every day and there's nothing I can do for her and I can't even be there to hold her hand and kiss her better. And then I thought that you could help me because I know Eily had been awfully sick with her pregnancy and your parents would have only the best remedy for her so, so maybe…maybe…"

"Maybe I could steal it for your muggle friend?" Astra finished for her, raising a brow slightly and remembering that she had to act as if this was all new information to her. She couldn't let Iola know that Augustin suspected anything of her after he'd caught her in his stores.

Iola nodded in the dim light, muttering something about 'love not friend'.

"Is this why you've been getting so close with the other Slytherins recently? And taking your mother's ideas about marriage so calmly? Because you've already got a plan and you don't want to arouse suspicion?"

Iola nodded again. Astra felt the pieces slide into place in her head. So that was what Phineas had been accusing her of; _acting _as if she were close with the Slytherins and their muggle-hating ways when, in fact, it was the total opposite. But did he know? Had he worked it out to the extent that Iola was revealing now? Or did he just suspect?

"How far along is she, your muggle?" Astra asked quietly. She knew there was no need for her lowered tone, but the subject matter felt somewhat delicate. What Iola had just told Astra was enough to get the former disowned and hunted down immediately and they both knew it.

"Just a few months." Iola whispered, "But the muggle physician says it will only get worse. The sooner I can help her, the better. The sooner I can help her, the sooner we can run away. We can't go without getting her help first."

"I understand," Astra said, reaching for her cousin's hand in what she hoped was a reassuring gesture, "when we are at Eily and Valentin's party on Halloween I will see if I can find the Potion and then try and work out the best way of getting hold of it."

Iola's eyes lit up and her face flushed. She squeezed the hand that Astra held excitedly and whispered in a somewhat crazed voice, "Thank you so much Astra! You have no idea how happy that makes me!"

"You're right, I don't." Astra half laughed, "But I'll do what I can. I'm glad you've found someone to make you happy, Iola."

The shorter Slytherin girl beamed. Unlocking the closet, she slipped out, appearing as if she had eaten the concept of happiness and was still digesting it.

Still in the darkness, Astra fought herself. She still didn't know whether to tell Augustin. Maybe it would be more comforting to do so, but it was also easier and less risky if she didn't. The more people knew Iola's secret, the more chance there was of it being revealed.

_Augustin would never tell_, her brain told her exasperatedly.

She knew it to be true, but he did also work with Phineas who seemed to be desperately trying to find out what was going on, and she had promised Iola- a fact she was not about to just disregard.


	10. Chapter 10

**Astra Blishwick – Ten**

Astra had kept the conversation she'd had with Iola in the closet to herself for over three days by the time Halloween rolled around. It wasn't that Astra was particularly bad at keeping secrets, she had just never had anything this important to hide before. Iola was clearly worried too. The small girl had taken to waiting on her bed every morning until Astra woke up and then fixing her with a somewhat threatening smile before wishing her a 'Good morning!' and heading down to breakfast.

Sitting at breakfast, Astra tried her best to avoid Iola's non too subtle glances from across the hall. Next to her, Venusia and Elias were busy arguing over the viability of joining the Gryffindors that evening after the Halloween feast.

"It's not our common room, Elias! It's against the rules and you're ridiculous to think that you wouldn't get caught!" Venusia hissed, batting her hand at her owl which was impatiently waiting to be rewarded for her post.

Elias ran a hand through his hair and glowered at her, "You're just scared, Ven. You're just worried that you won't get an apprenticeship at the Ministry without a perfectly sparkling record."

Astra knew this would hit a nerve and almost rolled her eyes at the thought that Elias had not learned this by now.

"So what if I am?" Venusia hissed dangerously across at the Hufflepuff.

On her other side, Astra felt Kendra nudge her gently. Turning from the ensuing row to her left, Astra met her friend's gaze. There was a hint of concern present.

"Are you worried?" Kendra asked, "About tonight?"

Astra shook her head, taking large gulps of pumpkin juice.

"Worried?" Kerrick scoffed, loading more beans onto his plate, "Why should she be worried? She gets to dress up horrifically fancy and be nagged by her parents all evening, it's a thoroughly enticing prospect, is it not?" he waggled his eyebrows teasingly.

Astra relentingly snorted, "Oh yes," she nodded, "I can't wait. Remind me again why you're not going Rick? Or you, Gerbold?" she asked the two Gryffindor boys on the other side of the table.

Gerbold had fortunately chosen that exact moment to stuff a large amount of egg into his mouth and shrugged nonchalantly. Kerrick rolled his eyes, throwing Astra a sympathetic smile, "Sorry, Astra. We know it'll be rough. But we'll save you some pudding from the feast here, if you like?"

"Thanks," Astra smirked, "that's all the incentive I needed to be honest."

-AB-

They had Transfiguration that morning and Professor Fronsac, who seemed more concerned with the organisation of the feast that evening than he did with actually teaching them anything, forgot to set them homework.

Venusia, who was quick to notice this blunder, shot her hand up into the air without hesitation until she found Astra, Kendra and Kerrick all glaring at her pointedly. Hastily, she dropped her arm and packed her things away.

Over lunch Kerrick began writing his own applications for apprenticeships within the Ministry of Magic, Venusia directing him carefully.

"Oughtn't he to do it himself, Ven?" Kendra sighed, throwing an accusatory glare at Kerrick who told her to hush.

"What are you going to do, Kenny?" Astra asked suddenly, "After school?"

Kendra bit her lip, her expression morphing into one of deep thought. Astra had assumed Kendra would marry Percival and be a housewife but then again, it was wrong of her to assume such a desire within her best friend, especially when she herself despised that very idea so strongly.

"I'm not sure." She said thoughtfully, "I know it has to be with Percival. Maybe some sort of administrative job at the Ministry. Nothing too hard, you know, not like what Ven and Rick want to do."

Astra hummed. It wasn't massively ambitious, but Kendra never had been, not really. Her excitable, competitive nature only really came about when she was with Astra.

Astra had always had big dreams growing up, despite her parents' frustrations. When she was five, she'd wanted to be a world famous quidditch player. When she turned nine and realised that she wasn't a particularly good flyer, her mind turned to spells. She imagined being the best duellist who ever lived, her name famed throughout the lands and everyone acutely aware that to challenger her skills would be a mistake. Unfortunately, when she had begun at Hogwarts, she had found that learning and performing spells was more difficult than she had anticipated, and she'd been forced to change her ideas again. Inventing had become her new plan and this was something she wasn't bad at. She'd tried her hand at coming up with a few new wand movements and attempted to put spells to them. Nothing solid had come of this but she was still secretly impressed with herself. Yes, she had turned her ambitions towards leading a life of her own, without a husband, and becoming an inventor. People far across the globe would come to her for a new spell or potion and she would provide; at a price, of course.

"Yeah, we have that next." She heard Kerrick saying to her, "Last thing before the feast."

"What?" Astra frowned at him.

He looked at her with concern, "Potions…" he said slowly, as if it were obvious, "You were just muttering about it."

Astra blanched. She couldn't recall at what point she had started muttering her thoughts out loud but she didn't get a chance to clarify this before Kendra chuckled.

"Oh, Astra's developed quite the _passion_ for potions recently." The daring Gryffindor began.

"Kendra." Astra ground out, sparing a glance towards the staff table where Professor Prince was spearing sausages whilst Phineas Nigellus Black lectured him about something.

"Was it a passion for potions?" Kendra continued, grinning like a cat, "Or was it for the teach- ugh!" She yelped as an owl landed unceremoniously in her lunch, a letter clutched in its beak. It writhed around, viciously trying to regain its balance and Kendra scooted backwards and out of its way, still yelping.

"Oh, come here you poor thing!" Gerbold coaxed the crazed bird, gently propping it up and taking the letter from its mouth. He handed it to Kendra, who hurriedly wiped juice from it, and then cradled the bird, cooing softly.

Kerrick and Astra watched him like he had grown another head.

"What?" he asked, "The poor thing has obviously had a rough time, it should've been here this morning."

Shaking her head, Astra turned back to Kendra whose attention was now focused on the letter.

"Percival?" she asked.

Kendra only nodded. Astra got the feeling it was going to be an 'I'll tell you later' sort of situation and she was proven right when Kendra shovelled the damp letter into her bag and stood up.

"Come on then, we need to return that poor bird to the Owlery before Potions, it obviously won't get there on its own."

-AB-

Guy Avery was no less infuriating than he had ever been before. Astra worked carefully around him, ensuring that their potion did not blow up due to his lack of skill. He kept taunting her about the upcoming party that evening and the prospect of her becoming some sort of spectacle.

"Of course, it _could _all go smoothly, but it is you Blishwick so I highly doubt it. Imagine the front page of the Prophet tomorrow, we're lucky that even the muggles have photography now so maybe they'll see it too." He drawled, carelessly tossing ingredients into the cauldron.

Astra gritted her teeth and snatched his hand away from the potion.

"See what, Avery?" she snapped.

"Why you, of course." He practically cackled, enjoying their little game.

Astra knew that he was perfectly aware that she didn't have a clue what he was talking about, but she also knew that she would rise to the bait.

"Why me?" she demanded, "Why would I be on the front page of the Prophet?"

Avery grinned, "Well it's the perfect opportunity, isn't it? What with _all_ the family there."

"The perfect opportunity for what!?" Astra growled.

Avery opened his mouth to sneer something at her but then a throat was cleared right behind them. They both turned slowly to find the looming figure of Professor Prince leaning over them. Astra wondered how long he had been there, just listening to them.

"Whatever it is you are about to say to Miss Blishwick, Mr Avery, I strongly suggest that you don't. Miss Blishwick, you will see me after class. Avery, you will concentrate on your brewing, lest you come close to killing us all _again_." Prince snapped, glaring at the two Slytherins intensely.

Astra felt a spark of indignation at this; why did _she _have to see him after class and not Avery? She hadn't even done anything; it was Avery who was ruining the potion.

"Sir!" she protested angrily, "I didn't do anything!"

Prince raised a solitary eyebrow at her. He looked undeniably cocky like this, as if he was very much aware of the fact that he could order her around whether she had misbehaved or not. Astra pursed her lips; she always found it difficult to navigate their friendship when they were at school and there was an element of authority to his position and submission to hers. It was hard not to just slip back into their more natural acquaintance that they maintained back home.

"See me after class, Blishwick, no protestations." And he swooped back to his desk.

Astra groaned. Next to her, Avery was flicking slices of shrivelfig into the cauldron, trying to see how far he could successfully fling them from.

The class went by far more quickly than Astra had wanted it to. She was dreading the party later and did not really want to talk to Augustin either. She was terrified that her resolve would crack and she would tell him about Iola. Even worse, tonight was the night she had to try and find a viable way of stealing some of her sister's Gestation Numbing Potion.

As the class filed out of the dungeon classroom, Astra briefly met eyes with Kendra who grimaced in what the Slytherin assumed was an attempt at encouragement. Iola Black also caught Astra's gaze and her eyes were full of silent begging. Astra felt guilt wash over her.

The door slammed shut as the last students shuffled out and Astra looked over to Augustin. He was looking back at her but she could sense that he wasn't really _seeing_ her. Instead, his eyes seemed to be fixed on her simply as a reflex, whilst his mind was clearly elsewhere.

She cleared her throat and approached him nervously, "Professor?" she asked quietly.

He blinked; his eyes had not followed her as she approached but had remained rooted to the spot where she had been mere seconds ago.

Astra tried again, "Professor Prince?" she said, a little louder.

This time he snapped out of it, starting and knocking his ink over as his hand jerked. He cursed and snatched up his wand, waving it over the bleeding ink and vanishing it instantly.

"Sorry." Astra muttered, looking down, embarrassed.

"Don't worry." Prince said, ignoring her awkwardness.

There was silence for a few seconds and Astra looked back up at him. He met her gaze and the Slytherin girl thought she could see sympathy in his eyes. She wondered why.

"Astra, sit down." He said quietly, his tone gentle, "We need to discuss tonight."

Astra was taken aback; so this wasn't about her argument with Avery?

"W-why, sir?" she stuttered, acutely aware that he had used her given name again, meaning that something must be wrong.

He sighed, shifting uneasily, "Because, Miss Blishwick, I believe my brother intends to propose to you this evening."


	11. Chapter 11

**Astra Blishwick – Eleven**

Astra felt like her entire world was crashing in on her. It was Halloween; her birthday wasn't until next year; she was still only seventeen years old. Her parents had all but promised her that she wouldn't marry before she completed her schooling and she wouldn't become engaged until she turned eighteen. Of course, she was technically old enough to be married right now and certainly old enough to get engaged but that didn't mean that she wanted to. She had, admittedly, been feeling increasing levels of attraction towards…well- men, but nothing noticeable enough to induce thoughts of marriage.

"That's absurd!" she blurted out finally. She felt herself swaying a little where she stood and Augustin lurched to his feet, catching her swiftly. He summoned a chair and sat her down next to him, watching her closely.

"My parents said I wouldn't need to be engaged before my birthday in….in…." she was fighting the urge to cry. It was something she was very proud of, the fact that she didn't cry in front of other people. Astra had seen all of her friends cry at least once. Venusia most often; the immense amount of stress that the Ravenclaw often put herself under meant that she frequently shed a few tears.

Elias and Kerrick had both come to tears mid-way through a rather competitive Quidditch match when Kerrick shot a nasty bludger at Elias which caught him square in the chest. Elias had fallen thirty feet and needed extensive medical care in the middle of the pitch. Astra remembered him clutching at Venusia's hand tightly, tears rolling down his face from his eyes which were clenched tightly shut. Kerrick landed seconds later, staff members unable to hold him back as he rushed over to Elias. He, too, had begun to cry and the nurse had later put it down to shock. But Astra knew he had been scared; scared about what he might have done to his friend.

Gerbold cried in Care of Magical Creatures, when some of the animals became too ill to cope and had to be put out of their pain. The pale haired boy had a soft spot for animals and cared for them deeply.

Kendra cried when Percival told her they wouldn't work out. Astra remembered them arguing for an entire evening, the yells penetrating the castle walls. Nobody dared interrupt them. They could have been murdering each other and not a single person would have had the courage to try and stop it. Kendra's sobs were almost as loud as her shrieks of anger. And then they had both yelled that they loved each other, and it had been over. They'd stayed together, "stronger than ever" Kendra had said assuredly.

But Astra had never cried to her friends. She had never shed a tear in their presence, saving such things for when she was alone and contentedly vulnerable, a habit she was not about to break now.

"Your birthday in May." Augustin finished gently for her.

She nodded, taking a deep breath. Her throat stung, a sign that she needed to cry, but she swallowed heavily.

"I don't understand what your brother can have said to change their minds." She managed, balling her hands into fists to stop them shaking.

"I really don't think they took much convincing, Astra. Your parents have been desperately keen that you marry Constantin ever since Eily married Valentin."

"I know that." She snapped rather harshly. And then, more gently, "I just don't understand the rush."

Augustin's eyes roamed around the room shiftily. Astra knew that he knew the reason.

"Oh, just tell me Aug!" she cried, not caring for the consequences of using his nickname.

"Professor Prince." He corrected her automatically, "And it is to ensure that you can be kept…under control."

There was another awkward pause before Augustin ploughed on, avoiding Astra's stare.

"Eily's birthday is early in the year, so in her last year she became engaged around now and was married immediately after leaving school. That was an easy transition and it meant she had no opportunity to look for…other options."

"Other options being other men?" Astra asked, "Or other life choices?"

"Both." Augustin nodded, "But you have a late birthday. If Constantin were to wait until you turned eighteen to propose and then allow an appropriate amount of time before marrying you then you may have the chance to explore such other options."

Astra nodded in return. It made sense. Constantin was essentially hoping to trap her early on so that she could not escape later down the line. And, clearly, Augustin had not been expecting this. If he had been, he wouldn't have told her about the Potions competition because that didn't take place until the end of the year.

"But if I refuse him tonight, my family will disown me." Astra realised suddenly. Her stomach lurched. Suddenly, it was all very real. By this time tomorrow she could either be engaged to be married or practically homeless. Neither sounded at all appealing.

"I had assumed the same." Augustin agreed, "And I had assumed that you would refuse, whatever the blasted consequences." He sounded rather angry at this but Astra hoped it was anger directed at the situation, rather than at her.

"Oh?" she said, unsure of what he wanted from her.

"So I have made…provisions for you, should you wish to refuse and therefore require somewhere to live in the near future."

_The holidays_, Astra thought; she would have nowhere to spend the summer and then…the rest of her life.

Where though? She wondered if it could be with him, at his house, but that was far too easily discoverable, firstly to his own family and then, by default, to Astra's. No, it would have to be somewhere else, somewhere muggle most likely.

"Where?" she couldn't help herself.

Augustin frowned, as if she should know better, "Surely, Astra, you understand why it is best that I do not tell you that."

She did.

"Because information shared is information more likely to fall into the hands of those who would do harm with it." She sighed. It was something he himself had taught her when she had first learned of his skill at legilimency.

He nodded, approvingly.

Suddenly she was overwhelmingly grateful to Augustin for thinking about all of these things for her.

But then another thought struck her; Iola Black. If Astra refused Constantin's proposal tonight and got kicked out of the family, she wouldn't be able to get hold of the Gestation Numbing Potion for Iola. Perhaps she could snatch it tonight? But Astra knew this was unlikely. Eily and Valentin would undoubtedly have powerful wards up protecting their private things whilst so many people were around. She would _need_ another chance, when they were not so protective and not worried about others. She needed to be able to get back into her sister's house.

Augustin was waiting patiently for her to process his offer. She knew that what she was about to say was not what he would want to hear.

"And if I accept?" she asked. Her voice was quiet, but it rang out in the silence of the dungeon classroom. She didn't dare look at Augustin. She knew what this would sound like. It would appear as though he had gone out of his way to help her avoid a marriage that she was now suggesting she just accept without question. Of course, that wasn't the case, but she couldn't tell him that without exposing Iola's secret and she had sworn she wouldn't do that.

Augustin's voice sounded strained when he answered her, "If you accept then I will owe you my congratulations."

"How did you find out that it would be tonight?" she whispered, still staring resolutely at the floor.

"I overheard Constantin discussing it with your parents when I went to visit him to ask about his intentions with you. They were already talking when I arrived and I did not stay to join the conversation once I heard their plans."

Finally, she looked at him. His eyes were slightly red and he seemed to be straining against allowing his emotions to show clearly on his face. Out of nowhere, Astra found herself wishing that it could have been him, not Constantin, with whom she was forced into this ridiculous situation. At least he seemed to have the notion of a brain in his head and some ounce of compassion in his heart. But it would never be so. Augustin was the youngest; he didn't have a 'respectable' job and he wasn't going to inherit because he didn't agree strongly enough with his family's values.

_And he's your teacher_, her own mother's voice niggled in her head. Astra knew that this would be the likely excuse her parents would use to dissuade her from such an idea. Besides, she thought, she didn't need such an idea; she didn't want to marry anybody, and it would all be fine. She just had to carry on with the established plan; win the golden cauldron and then have her own life- so what if she had to be engaged for a little while first? She would break it off the second she won that cauldron.

"Thank you, Augustin." She said softly, raising her hand tentatively to his cheek. Unusually, he didn't stop her. She brushed his dark hair behind his ears and smiled sadly, "You are a good friend and teacher to me. I'm grateful."

She was rarely this candid with anyone, perhaps Kendra if she was feeling frustrated. But she needed to be honest with Augustin now, she might not get another chance.

Because she was going to say yes tonight. And he was going to hate her for it.


	12. Chapter 12

**Astra Blishwick – Twelve**

Astra managed a hurried goodbye to her friends before wishing them well at the feast and then descending back down to the dungeons. She changed speedily into the second dress she came across in her wardrobe and then flung her robes over the top. Aisling Rosier and Jezebel MacNair were busying themselves in the bathroom, pinning up each other's hair and giggling. Iola must have already gone to Prince's office.

Astra gave her own hair the swiftest of brushes, knowing that the use of a portkey to get them to Eily's house would mess it up anyway, and then scurried out of the dorm. She couldn't pin her hair up, even if she had wanted to do so, it was too short and choppy.

Iola opened the office door when Astra knocked on it, her sombre expression making the blonde feel slightly sick. Recently, Iola had reminded Astra of a dying puppy every time she saw her and Astra wasn't sure whether or not she was doing it on purpose.

"And where are your other dorm mates?" a sour voice demanded of Astra as she stepped inside the dark office. It smelled of potion ingredients and boredom.

Astra locked eyes on Professor Black and bit back a sneer.

"Getting ready." She said curtly, "Apparently it takes them a long time to look presentable."

Black snorted, "At least they're trying to look presentable." He snarled at Astra, his eyes also flickering to his sister, who ignored him resolutely.

"Let them alone, Phineas." Augustin's voice cut in as he appeared on the opposite side of the office, dragging Guy Avery and a sixth year Astra didn't know with him. Both boys looked like they had been severely reprimanded.

"Here," Augustin looked at Phineas with loathing, "you can take responsibility for these young men whom I have just overheard discussing the likelihood of having 'a good time with a drunk girl' tonight."

Augustin shoved Avery and his companion toward Phineas, who grabbed them both roughly and glowered at them.

Astra fought the overwhelming urge to jinx Avery there and then. However much she hated Rosier and MacNair, even they did not deserve the horror of his company tonight. Augustin looked briefly at her but then the door shook as it was knocked again.

Iola dutifully yanked it open to admit Aisling Rosier and Jezebel MacNair. Astra couldn't deny that they both looked incredible. In fact, everyone did, even Phineas, despite his contorted expression of anger.

She listened half-heartedly as Augustin explained the Headmistress' kind allowance of their use of a portkey and the procedures for using it. They all knew; they were all purebloods and had used portkeys numerous times, but Aug was a stickler for procedure.

Astra watched him closely. He appeared calm and collected but his brow would twitch every so often, as is he knew that someone would deliberately disobey his warnings and they'd end up in trouble anyway. It was sweet really, his deep concern. Phineas did not seem to share it, even though he, too, was paid to safeguard these students.

Astra stepped numbly forward as Augustin ordered them to form a circle. She felt Iola link arms with her on one side and Aisling Rosier reluctantly do the same on the other. And then she reached for the monocle on Augustin's desk.

-AB-

Using portkeys had always made Astra feel sick. When she was younger, she used to throw up every time they had to take one and her parents had specifically learned the clear up charm for vomit. It wasn't so bad now she was older, but the nausea still seeped through her as they landed in Eily's back garden.

Astra's vision was blurry and she blinked rapidly, trying to regain her sight before she moved. She could feel herself wobbling. And then hands came around her waist and steadied her. She felt a firm body behind her and calming words in her ear.

"It will pass. Just be patient." Augustin told her.

She daren't think what the others must assume about them from this interaction but she was grateful that he had remembered her portkey problem. She took a few deep breaths and her vision began to return. Once she was sure she was not going to reproduce her lunch in front of everyone, she squeezed Augustin's hands gently and he let go.

Looking around, she realised that they had a short walk up to Eily and Valentin's house. Their garden was enormous, decorated with hundreds of metal statues and water fountains. Astra thought it was repulsive but Eily had kept insisting that Valentin liked them and that they were 'a splendid addition to the home'. If Valentin Prince actually _liked _some of these hideous sculptures then Astra thought he should get his sanity checked.

To call the building they were trudging towards a house was an understatement. It was enormous and ridiculous. Turrets were tucked away behind several small sections of roof that stood higher than the rest and one side of the home was much taller than the other. There was no pattern to the windows whatsoever and massive pillars ran all the way around the outside of the lower floor, supporting a balcony that encased the upper floor. A grand entrance way led up to a few marble steps that came before the doors and, as they approached, the doors swung open. Astra knew that the front entrance was even more absurdly grand than this one and she was grateful that they hadn't come in that way. The front entrance was surrounded by decadent unicorn statues that were only slightly less repulsive than the ones in the garden.

"Ah, brother dearest!" a booming voice came from the doorway. Astra looked up to see Valentin Prince, dressed in so much green he looked like a walking tree. His robes were covered in small glittering gems and he had a stupidly tall hat on his head that was almost knocked off as he ducked under the doors.

"Valentin." Augustin nodded, not letting on whether he found Valentin's outfit amusing or not.

Valentin Prince pulled his younger brother into a bone crunching hug and then gestured to the rest of them, "Oh, do go on inside! I'm sure most of your parents are already here!"

As Valentin held Augustin back for some unknown reason, Astra followed the others inside, hearing Phineas mutter something that sounded uncannily like "I don't need my parents to be here."

The inside of the house was no less flamboyant and revolting as the outside. There were stuffed animals throughout and strange wall hangings that depicted magical battles and gruesome spells being enacted upon unwilling victims. Astra vaguely remembered a fight between Eily and Valentin about whether they could keep the taxidermy in the roof but Valentin had decided it was best displayed throughout the house. Astra agreed with Eily.

The room they entered into smelled strongly of firewhisky and burning meat. Astra pinched her nose as she inhaled the scents, they were incredibly strong. Most of the other students disappeared towards their own families but Iola remained with Phineas and Astra just stood there. She wondered what her friends were up to back at Hogwarts and whether Elias would be able to convince Venusia to go to Gryffindor tower that evening.

"Oh, darlings!" Astra heard the shrill voice before she saw the delighted face of Ella Black approaching them, Astra's own parents in tow.

"Mother." Phineas said stiffly, crossing his arms.

"Phineas, dear!" Ella cooed, stroking his face and smiling widely, "How have you been? Have you found yourself a lovely pureblood wife yet?"

"What, at Hogwarts?" Astra snorted. Iola shot her a warning glance.

"Yes, sweetheart, at Hogwarts." Ella said, a twinge of exasperation in her tone, "Really Missy, you ought to teach her _something_ about adult relationships in the pureblood world." She said, frowning at Astra's mother.

Misapinoa Blishwick looked ready to kill. And Astra wasn't yet sure who would end up as the body.

Chuckling, Jimbo Blishwick took his wife's hand and squeezed it rather hard.

"Now, now, Ella, Astra's still learning. There's time yet." Jimbo smiled.

"Yes, but not much time." Misapinoa hissed under her breath.

_Not much time before they've agreed to marry you off_, Astra said angrily to herself. Iola broke the silence and began to tell her mother about the work she had been doing at school with Phineas occasionally chiming in like an unwanted cuckoo to tell his side of things.

Misapinoa took this opportunity to snatch Astra away and talk fervently to her away from anyone else.

"Now listen Astra, your father and I have worked tirelessly to bring about an acceptable match between yourself and Constantin Prince and tonight it will all be worth it."

Astra tried her best to look surprised, as if Augustin hadn't already told her about her parents' disastrous plans.

"So, whatever you do, tonight you must say yes." Misapinoa ordered, her hand still grasping tightly onto Astra's shoulder. The girl winced slightly but nodded. Her mother appeared somewhat shocked at this, apparently having expected more of a fight, but nodded approvingly in return and let her go.

A timid looking house-elf propping a tray of glasses up on its head suddenly appeared and offered them a drink. Misapinoa took one gratefully and began to down it whilst Astra shook her head, "No thank you." She told the creature gently. But Constantin Prince chose that moment to swoop in and snatch up a pair of glasses, handing one to Astra and telling her mother that he was 'just borrowing her'.

Like a library book, Astra thought spitefully. He was just borrowing her; he would return her later. Only at some point he was intending to borrow her for life.

"Enjoying yourself?" Constantin asked, smirking at her. He wasn't dressed as clownishly as Valentin, but he was wearing a suit made up entirely of mauve coloured velvet and it shone and wrinkled with every step he took. He'd combed his dark hair back and his forehead looked overtly sweaty. Astra recoiled as he extended a hand to brush her cheek. Constantin tutted with disappointment.

"Come now, love, I don't bite, unless you ask nicely." He winked and she felt like maybe she would be sick after all.

"How original." She snapped sarcastically, still clutching the glass of alcohol that she had no intention of drinking.

"You know, once we're married," Constantin began, lifting his hand again but this time fisting it into her hair, "I'd like you to grow your hair longer. It's such a nice colour."

"It's dirty blonde." Astra scoffed, "And I shall keep it how I like, thank you very much." She used her free hand to tug his out of her hair and snarled at him.

He only chuckled, "Oh, I see you're going to be another feisty one. Good, good. My brother did have quite the fun time taming your sister." He gestured over to where Valentin now stood with Eily, whose stomach was incredibly swollen. She seemed tired beyond belief and from what Astra could see of her expression, she seemed…miserable.

"And just look at her now," Constantin continued on, "swollen to perfection, just as Valentin wanted. I can't wait to do the same to you, Astra."

Astra really _could_ feel the nausea now.

"Excuse me." She said, thrusting the still full glass at Constantin and sloshing it all over his suit. He cried out in indignation but she had already fled the room, desperately searching for the bathroom. She knew there probably was one on the ground floor but most times she had stayed here she had used a room on the first floor. Taking the stairs two at a time, she hurtled into the first-floor bathroom and promptly threw up into the basin.

After a few moments of relieved panting, Astra collapsed onto the floor and wiped at her mouth haphazardly. She wanted nothing more than to march right back downstairs and perform all of the unforgivable curses on Constantin and his older brother but she knew that she couldn't. Knew that if she did, she wouldn't be the only one to suffer consequences. Iola, two muggles and her own sister were all at risk if she put so much as a toe out of line.

Breathing deeply, Astra knew she ought to get back to the party and most likely apologise for 'accidentally' throwing alcohol all over her suitor but murmuring from down the corridor stopped her in her tracks.

"Mistress must be hiding things again, Blissy." The unmistakable squeak of a house-elf carried down the hallway.

"Yes, Blissy is knowing this, but Blissy is not knowing where Mistress is hiding things. Before Mistress was hiding things in her cupboard but it is empty now!" the other elf, Blissy, protested.

Astra knew that their voices were coming from Eily's private bedchamber, a room she had never been into but knew of. She stood, frozen to the spot, listening carefully.


	13. Chapter 13

(A/N: There's a trigger warning on this one guys- implied self-harm (nothing graphic)- but if that's something that's going to trigger you then please feel free to skip.)

**Astra Blishwick – Thirteen**

"Are…are you sure Mistress is at it again?" Blissy's timid voice came again.

Astra clasped her hand over her own mouth to try and hear better.

"Of course she is!" the other elf whined desperately, "And Master will be furious if he finds out again and if he finds out that Blissy and Temper did nothing to stop her!"

What on earth were they talking about? Obviously Eily was up to something they didn't like, but why did they know and Valentin apparently didn't? It must be something you'd only know about it you were in Eily's room, Astra realised, knowing that Valentin likely never went in there.

"Blissy and Temper must search Mistress' whole room and then the house!" the second elf, Temper, announced suddenly, "And if Blissy and Temper can't find the sharp things then they must tell Master for Mistress' own safety."

Astra heard a murmur of agreement from Blissy and then the beginnings of them searching Eily's room for 'sharp things'? For the life of her, Astra could not work out what they were talking about. She was worried though; if these elves didn't find what they were looking for then apparently it meant that Eily was in danger.

"I know there's a lot to be worked on, Blishwick, but I don't think that spending _hours_ in the bathroom will help your appearance that much." Aisling Rosier drawled from the top of the staircase, watching Astra bemusedly.

Astra frowned, "What are you doing up here? And where are Avery and MacNair?"

"Oh, they're off kissing behind a statue somewhere. They'll probably go home together; their families are quite close." She said, talking as if she were predicting a horse race. Her hair was still pinned back perfectly and her dress, a delicate, flowery patterned, blue thing, was extremely flattering on her. Astra could imagine her as a beautiful wife. Not the submissive, quiet sort of wife but a dominant, confident wife who managed her affairs and her husband with little trouble.

"So, in your boredom you've come looking for someone to antagonise?" Astra guessed.

Aisling's lips curled into a small smirk, "Nothing of the sort, Blishwick. I just thought I'd take a break from conversation with my imbecile of an intended and his loud-mouthed sister. I daresay they're even more annoying than you are, Blishwick."

"You're engaged?" Astra asked, gobsmacked that she hadn't known this before.

Aisling's laugh was like tiny bells, "Oh, goodness no. Not yet, anyway. But I shall be, when I'm ready. Soon, I've no doubt."

"But…but if you think he's an imbecile then why…?" Astra trailed off, confused.

Aisling rolled her eyes as if Astra was a child who couldn't count to three, "Because he's _rich,_ Blishwick. And a rich imbecile is the best any pure-blooded woman can do. You see, not only do I get all of his money, but I also get to control his every move because the man is so stupid he doesn't know right from left."

A dreamy expression had come over her face and Astra wondered briefly if she would need to lock herself in the bathroom again.

"Who is your intended?"

"Joseph Flint. Even better, Blishwick, _his_ family are absolutely sacredly _pure blood_." Aisling drummed the words into Astra.

Astra knew that she was trying to rile her, no matter what she claimed to be doing up here. Astra's mother's family, the Blacks, were also sacredly pureblood but her father's family, the Blishwicks, had some half-blood ancestry.

Determined not to end up in a fight with Rosier on the stairs, Astra shoved past her, glaring. She made her way down the stairs and watched as Aisling followed behind her. Astra desperately wanted to go back up there and find out what the house-elves were busy searching for, but she knew that would draw unwanted attention. Instead she made a bee-line for Eily.

"Eily?" she asked tentatively as she reached her sister. Eily had always been shorter than Astra but somehow, tonight she seemed even tinier. Her round belly looked out of place with the rest of her small frame and the front of her mousy hair hung around her face, most of it pulled into a tight bun on her scalp.

Eily looked visibly relieved to see Astra, although she tried to hide it, and hugged her tightly.

"Blimey, Eily, you'll be fatter than me soon!" Astra teased.

Eily shook her head, smiling shyly. It was a running joke as they grew up; the size difference between them. Eily had always been absolutely miniscule; short, slim and generally of small form, compared to Astra's tall, slightly chubby, strong build. Astra put it down to the fact that she liked cake and Eily was weird.

"I've missed you." Eily said quietly, and her voice sounded strangely hollow.

"I've missed you too, Eily. I love you." Astra said honestly. Perhaps she had been wrong earlier, perhaps Eily was another person she could be honest with.

"I love you too, Astra. I just….I feel so empty here." She whispered pleadingly, "Please help me, I can't help myself, I- I only hurt myself more." Her hands fastened themselves around Astra's wrists and she looked at her sister with desperation. Looking at her closely, Astra could see that she appeared dead on her feet. Her eyes looked as if she hadn't slept in weeks and her face had several well-hidden bruises.

"Eily, what on earth-" Astra began in alarm but she was cut off by a green spark and a loud bang in the centre of the room.

Silence descended as Valentin Prince conjured a small step and jumped onto it, greeting everyone with a fake smile.

"Welcome everyone, my wife and I are so pleased you could join us tonight. We are so very grateful for all of the well wishes we have received." His booming voice surrounded the room and Astra felt Eily's grip tighten on her wrist. She winced in pain but tried to comfort her sister.

Valentin continued on about the respect and authority of his family name and how privileged they all were to be able to celebrate the continuation of such prized pureblood families.

"Lies, lies, lies, lies, lies." Eily began reciting, her eyes squeezed shut.

"Eily, are you alright?" Astra hissed, trying to get her sister to release the death grip she had on her wrist.

"It's all lies," Eily suddenly wailed, "lies! Lies!"

The entire room turned to stare at the Blishwick sisters and Astra felt her heart skip a beat. She didn't know what to do. She had never seen Eily like this before.

"LIES!" Eily shrieked, shaking Astra's arm vehemently, tears streaming down her face.

"Mother!" Astra cried, looking terrified at Misapinoa. The older woman lurched into action, draping her arms around Eily and whispering sweetly to her; quite uncharacteristic behaviour on her part.

"Come on now, Eily, come on. It's alright, come on." Misapinoa told her daughter gently, coaxing her white hands off Astra's wrist. Valentin was there then, a sour look on his face as he helped Misapinoa guide Eily out of the room and up the stairs. Eily's shrieks became muffled as they clambered to the first floor and Astra rubbed her wrist which was bright red and stinging.

She locked eyes with her father and he shook his head slightly. Astra didn't know what that meant. He did not seem angry, more disappointed or sad. But whether it was with her or with Eily, she did not know.

A tense silence swept across the room and all that could be heard was Eily's faint howls from upstairs. Astra wondered whether she should go after her sister, check she was alright, but she knew nothing about how to care for sick people. Maybe that was why her father had shook his head.

For some inexplicable reason, Constantin Prince decided to take control of the situation. Leaping onto the step that Valentin had just vacated, he grinned like a wolf and bowed deeply.

_Idiot_, Astra thought.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, apologies for that brief _inconvenience_. If I could now hold your attention for just a minute, there is an announcement I should very much like to make." He threw his arms around wildly and his focus landed on Astra.

"Git." She muttered.

"Astra, love, come here for me, would you?" he smiled sweetly but it was the sort of sweetness Astra had seen in fruit when it went bad, just before the flies started to devour it.

"My sister is not an inconvenience." She stated flatly.

Everyone was watching closely. There were a few gasps at Astra's boldness and Constantin had gone very red.

He chuckled slightly, perhaps trying to recover, and then said, "No, no, of course not. Just a turn of phrase, love. Now come here, please." He was grinding his words now, undoubtedly angry with her for embarrassing him.

"We are not doing this now." Astra spat, meeting his eyes with a passionate glare.

More gasps ensued.

"Astra, darling." Ella Black tried her luck, stepping towards the girl, but Astra turned on her viciously, "No!" she snarled, "My sister has been taken ill, if there is anywhere I should be right now, it is with her. Sorry, father." She looked towards Jimbo Blishwick who had warning signs in his eyes but ignored them and strode past everyone and out of the room, back upstairs.

-AB-

Eily had been placed into her bed and given a strong dose of Calming Draught and Dreamless Sleep by Augustin, whom Misapinoa had summoned to help.

The thin, pregnant woman now lay unmoving between the sheets. Looking around, Astra could see no evidence that the house-elves had been rooting through her things. The room appeared perfectly tidy. Small ornaments were placed around the fireplace and bedside but apart from that there wasn't a single thing out of place.

Valentin had gone downstairs, both to dismiss their guests and shout at Constantin. Astra heard him telling his brother not to steal his spotlight and rolled her eyes. She couldn't believe that they were arguing over who had gotten the most attention when Eily was so sick.

"What's wrong with her?" Astra asked timidly. She was genuinely very worried for her sister, nothing like this had ever happened before.

"I don't know." Augustin said, his voice laced with concern, "She shouldn't be experiencing episodes like this, she is too young."

"She's twenty-eight today." Misapinoa sobbed, cradling her eldest daughter's head in her lap.

"Yes, well, I'm sure she's had better birthdays." Augustin noted. Misapinoa sobbed again.

"She'll need more Calming Draught when she wakes up, I've no doubt." Augustin said, getting up from where he had been perched on the side of the bed, examining the sleeping Eily.

"I'll go and get it." Astra volunteered, remembering that she hadn't even attempted to find out where Valentin and Eily kept their potion stores.

"I doubt you will," Augustin told her, "the potions are warded. I'll have to go."

"Well then, I'll come with you." Astra said determinedly, "I need to know in case I visit and she needs some. I doubt she's going to make a rapid recovery."

Augustin raised an accusatory eyebrow at her but, eventually, he gave in and gestured to her to follow him.


	14. Chapter 14

**Astra Blishwick - Fourteen**

The potions stocks, it turned out, were in the cellar. As they descended the steps that led down from the kitchen, Augustin muttered a quick "Lumos." And Astra did the same. She realised, with a pang of guilt, that if she hadn't insisted on coming, he could have just apparated right there and back. True, he could have side apparated her, but it was dangerous to do so with a witch who hadn't been to the desired location before; the chances of splinching were much higher.

It smelled like damp in the cellar and Astra was sure she heard the pitter patter of rodents' feet somewhere nearby. Looking straight ahead of her, Astra failed to see a large, thick black cauldron lying on the floor and tumbled over it gracelessly.

She moaned in pain as she stood up and Augustin came over to see if she was alright. He waved his wand over her hands and saw that they were badly grazed and bleeding. She hissed in pain as he turned them over. She'd somehow managed to graze her knuckles on the actual cauldron as well. The rest of her, thankfully, was all safely tucked away under her thick dress.

Augustin picked Astra's wand up from the floor and spoke quietly, so as not to cause an echo.

"I need you to hold your wand in your mouth Astra so that I can see what I'm doing while I heal your hands." He instructed.

"Alright." She agreed, knowing he likely wouldn't see if she just nodded.

"Open up." He said. She did as she was bidden and opened her mouth. Augustin placed her wand gently between her teeth and told her to bite down on it. Then he moved her head slightly so that the wand lit up her hands.

Taking her hands in one of his, he traced his own wand over the cuts and grazes, muttering as he did so. Astra felt the stinging sensation leaving her palms and then her knuckles. When he was finished, she automatically tried to thank him, but it came out as garbled nonsense because of the wand jammed between her teeth.

Augustin chuckled, moving forward and gently cupping her chin. He raised his hand and took her wand of out her mouth, handing it to her.

"You were saying something?" he teased, brow raised.

"I was saying thank you. But I regret it now." Astra retorted. He laughed again and she couldn't help but smile. _His hand felt nice_, she thought randomly. And then, _no, stop. Kendra will tease mercilessly._

A little further into the dank cellar and they reached an enclave of shelves stocked full of potion bottles. If possible, it smelled worse here than it had before.

"You must feel right at home." Astra commented.

Augustin shot her a smirk, "You wouldn't know."

It was true; she had never been to his house. Any time they saw each other outside of school it was at somebody else's home.

"I'm sorry about your sister." He said as he took down the magical wards guarding the potions.

"It's alright. She's going to be fine." Astra said firmly, more to try and convince herself than anything else.

Augustin pocketed two small phials of potion before raising his wand again and restoring the wards. Astra turned to leave but he caught her elbow deftly and wheeled her back around.

"You need to learn how to take the wards off." He told her, "That is, if you honestly wish to be able to retrieve potions for Eily's wellbeing."

It was a statement, but Astra knew he was daring her to lie to him again. And she knew that he knew she had lied. But he wouldn't ask outright. And nor would he use legilimency to find out the real reason she wanted to know how to take down the wards.

She cleared her throat, "Yes. Yes, that would be…helpful."

"Alright." He sounded slightly disappointed and Astra felt a punch of guilt in her stomach. She didn't want to lie to him, it was the last thing she wanted; but she couldn't tell him the truth.

Astra squeaked slightly as he stood directly behind her and took up her wand hand. She cursed herself for making such a stupid noise but if Augustin had noticed he didn't let on. He guided her arm into the correct movements and, somehow, she knew when it was finished. Then he showed her the movements to put the wards back up.

"Now you do it yourself." He instructed, releasing her hand but not moving.

Astra rolled her eyes and easily took the wards down again and then replaced them. She was sure he hadn't expected her to be unable to do it; he knew that she had an infuriating natural talent for charms, amongst other things, and did not have to try particularly hard.

"A reasonable effort." He mused in her ear. Astra bit her tongue, knowing that if she could speak freely, she'd have called him a cheeky bastard.

As they made their way back to the steps that led into the kitchen Augustin reminded her that the avoidance of a proposal tonight did not mean that it had been avoided forever. Of course, Astra knew this, but she could not deny the relief that has swept through her when she realised that the proposal had been avoided today.

Having instructed Valentin and Misapinoa on exactly what to give to Eily should she need it upon waking, Augustin left the room.

Jimbo Blishwick kissed Astra on the forehead and told her to say goodbye to Eily.

"Augustin will take you back to school." He told his younger daughter. She nodded and took Eily's limp hand.

"Goodbye, Eily. I'll come back, I promise." Astra told her sister, praying that she could hear her. She squeezed Eily's hand lightly and then made her way downstairs.

Augustin was speaking to Constantin in hushed tones but he stopped abruptly when Astra appeared. Constantin pulled a somewhat disgusted face at the sight of the blonde and strutted past her with a careless, "Goodbye, love." On his way up the stairs. Astra groaned.

"Can we go back to Hogwarts now?" she asked, looking pleadingly over at Augustin.

He laughed, "Trust me, Astra, I've no intention of going anywhere else."

-AB-

"And then you had to walk back here from Hogsmeade in the middle of the night?" Venusia asked, her face a picture of shock at breakfast the next morning, "Surely that's not safe!"

"Oh give over, Ven. She was with Prince, it's perfectly safe." Elias said, running a hand nervously through his red hair. He was inhaling his food as if it would disappear unless he guzzled it within seconds. Astra knew he was nervous about the first Quidditch match of the season which was tomorrow but considering the fact that he wasn't even playing it seemed like madness to her. Kerrick, on the other hand, who _was_ playing tomorrow, didn't seem interested in his food at all.

"So, why couldn't you just take a portkey back like you did to get there in the first place?" Kerrick asked, frowning.

"Because Professor Black brought all the other students back with the designated portkey as soon as Eily fell ill." Astra told him, "Augustin and I had to apparate and you can't apparate within Hogwarts so we went to Hogsmeade."

She half expected Kendra to pick her up on the use of Professor Prince's first name, but the dark-haired girl seemed to have realised that Astra was more focused on her sister.

"She'll be alright though, won't she? Eily, I mean." Gerbold asked.

"She's not going to die, if that's what you mean." Astra said, her voice wavering, "But she isn't well by any definition of the word. She's….she's sick. She's really, really sick."

"Astra-" Kendra began comfortingly but Astra had stood up abruptly.

"I have to go." She announced, ignoring the bombardment of questions coming from her friends.

"Astra wait!" Kendra called after her friend as the Slytherin hurried out of the great hall and down the corridor.

Astra didn't stop until she was curled up safely on her bed in her dormitory and then she let the tears fall. She had never, in all her life, seen Eily look so ill. She had looked like a corpse on legs and then, when she had begun that terrible wailing and latched onto Astra like she was her only hope…

Had Astra abandoned her in that house? Left her alone in a place she hated so much? Surely there must be something she could do?

Deciding that doing anything was more productive than crying, she raced over to Augustin's office and rapped on the door desperately. It opened to reveal the Potions Professor, looking a little worse for wear after their late night yesterday, and he squinted at her.

"Miss Blishwick, have you been crying?"

"What?" Astra blurted, rubbing her eyes, furious that her tears had left evidence, "No. I just… need to talk to you."

"Alright." He agreed, holding the door open for her. She hurried inside and flung her bag onto the desk before pacing around, wringing her hands.

"I've been thinking, Professor, that I've never seen Eily so ill and that there must be something I can do to help and she seems ever so upset in that house and I can't just leave her there when she's so lonely and scared and sad and I have to help her because it isn't fair that she's ended up in this situation and-"

"Astra." Prince held up a hand and she stopped.

"I understand your concern for your sister, I truly do. But I have already ensure that a medi-witch is sent to see her today and to continue tracking her wellbeing over the next few weeks. And, of course, you may visit her when you wish during your free time."

"You've done all that?" Astra asked, dumbstruck.

"I have done what needed to be done." He confirmed.

"Oh." She said, aware that such unnecessary kindness was rare in pureblood wizards, "Will…will you visit her too?"

"Only to check that she is indeed receiving the medical care she requires." Prince reasoned, sitting down in his seat once he had established that Astra was not going to smash anything.

Astra narrowed her eyes at him, "You don't think Valentin can be trusted to get her the required medical care?"

Prince tilted his head at her, looking suspicious.

"I implied no such thing, Miss Blishwick, unless you have information pertinent to such an accusation that you wish to share?" suddenly he had become deadly serious.

Astra swallowed nervously, "No, sir. Please accept my apologies, I didn't mean to insinuate anything of the sort."

"Good, Miss Blishwick. But rest assured, if you do come across anything of that nature, do _not_ keep it to yourself."

And then it clicked. _This _was what he thought she was lying to him about. He thought that she knew Eily was being mistreated and deliberately not telling anyone. She had to put his mind at rest.

"Sir, I would never keep something so important to myself. Don't you think I care about my sister?"

"On the contrary, Miss Blishwick, I should hope very much that you do care for your sister. To have kind and caring siblings can be a rare thing amongst pretentious wizards and witches."

From the look on his face as he said it, Astra had no doubt that he was speaking from experience.


	15. Chapter 15

**Astra Blishwick – Fifteen**

The entire school was excited as Tuesday, 2nd of November dawned. It was the first Quidditch match of the season. Typically, Quidditch was played on a Saturday; usually the first Saturday of November but, because that had been designated as a Hogsmeade visit, Headmistress Mole had decided that lessons could be skipped on Tuesday and replaced with Quidditch. Astra was just glad she could skip Divination. The last thing she needed today was Professor Bloom leaning over her, telling her how many Princes he saw in her future.

Kerrick had arrived at breakfast, fully kitted out and looking nervous. Elias clapped him on the back and loaded his plate with food, telling him he needed sustenance.

"Good to know where your loyalties lie, Grimstone." Astra told him, stroking her chin in mock thoughtfulness.

Elias made an exasperated face, "Oh, come off it, Astra, I'm hardly going to cheer for the losing team am I, snake?"

"Say that again, badger." Astra dared him, unable to stop the grin spreading her face.

"Bring it, serpent." Elias clapped back, also grinning.

Astra groaned, "I can't think of another word for badger." She reluctantly held her hands up in mock defeat and Elias laughed.

The three of them were soon joined by Kendra, Venusia and Gerbold, all of whom were wearing scarlet in support of Gryffindor.

"Seriously?" Astra sighed, "I'll stick out like a sore thumb!"

"Sit with your Slytherins then." Kendra teased, ruffling Astra's hair as she grabbed some toast.

Astra snorted. As if she would ever sit with her housemates.

Still, she did feel out of place as they all traipsed down to the Quidditch pitch, a wall of scarlet with one green figure on the end.

They said goodbye to Kerrick at the entrance to the changing rooms and assured him he would play well.

"We'll see about that!" Jezebel MacNair had sneered as she escorted her team of Slytherins into their own changing rooms.

"I bet she tortures them as part of their pre-match talk." Elias said, his eyes boring holes into the back of the Slytherin team captain.

"Maybe," Astra said, "and I guess we'll see if it works."

-AB-

There was always an annoying delay between arriving in the stands and the actual start of a Quidditch match. Elias assured them that it was valuable time during which the team made last minute strategies but that did not help alleviate the chills that were radiating down Astra's spine.

She nudged Kendra and whispered, "You still owe me an explanation of what was in that letter from Percival."

Kendra's eyes went wide and she nodded eagerly, "Oh gosh, Astra, I can't believe I haven't told you yet but so much has been going on. It's good news, really good news!"

"Have you told the others?" the blonde asked.

Kendra shook her head, "I wanted to wait until everything was definite but I'll explain after the match."

"Alright." Astra agreed.

Then cheers took over the stadium and Astra realised that the players had come onto the pitch. Cicero Lovegood's dreamy voice boomed over the grammar phone, announcing the players on Jezebel MacNair and then Matilde Northern's teams.

MacNair and Northern shook hands and then all the players mounted their brooms.

Astra heard the sound of an amplified whistle, saw the balls being released, and then the quaffle was thrown into the air. It had begun.

"Come on Kerrick!" Elias and Gerbold shouted immediately. Next to her, Astra felt Kendra jumping up and down as the Gryffindor chasers headed straight for the Slytherin goals.

Matilde Northern put a shot cleanly through the middle goalpost and Cicero Lovegood announced the goal.

Gerbold, Elias, Kendra and Venusia all exploded into cheers. Astra groaned. She didn't like Jezebel MacNair or anyone on her team but she still felt loyal to the Slytherins and she would quite like for them to win the cup. Although, obviously, Elias' Hufflepuffs were the favourites.

Within minutes, Matilde Northern had scored a hattrick but the Slytherin chasers had also scored a goal. It was 30-10 to Gryffindor.

Kleo Avery, Guy's younger sister snatched up the quaffle on an interception of a poor pass between Northern and Thomas. She headed straight for the Gryffindor goal posts and the Slytherin end of the stadium grew loud.

"No, no, no!" Gerbold cried as Kleo dodged the Gryffindor keeper who had come forward to try and block her. She raised her hand to throw and then span suddenly out of the way, dropping the quaffle in the process.

"YES Kerrick!" Elias roared as Kerrick's well aimed bludger flashed past Kleo Avery for a second time.

The Gryffindor crowd exploded in appreciation for their beater and then cheered on Matilde Northern who had gone for goal for a fourth time. Her dark hair flew around in the wind and Astra watched with admiration as she put away the quaffle _again_.

Cicero Lovegood also seemed to have nothing but appreciation for Matilde Northern's efforts as he dedicated the next two minutes to reciting a track record of all her previous Quidditch victories. But he stopped in the midst of it to commentate on the sudden dive that the Gryffindor seeker, Clem Longbottom, had taken.

"She's seen it!" Elias screeched, "She's seen the snitch!"

"Really?" Astra asked, her tone was one of interest but the others all knew that sarcasm was coming, "I thought she'd just fancied a toilet break."

"MacNair's realised too!" Gerbold yelled, pointing at the Slytherin captain.

He was right. Jezebel MacNair had begun gaining on Clem Longbottom, yelling at her beaters to stop the Gryffindor.

Just as MacNair had come level with Longbottom, a bludger hurtled towards the pair of them. Looking back on its path, Astra saw that Kerrick had hit it.

"It's going to hit them both!" Kendra shouted in alarm.

"No it isn't!" Elias grinned, "It's a perfect shot!"

And it was. The bludger missed Clem Longbottom by a hair's width and then slammed into Jezebel MacNair's ankle, sending her spinning downwards. She landed with a crunch onto her broom end and rolled over, groaning. Small twigs were scattered across her shirt.

Clem Longbottom pulled out of her dive just in time and raised her hand to the sky. Between her fingers two small wings fought to get free.

The Gryffindors roared.

"The final score is 190 to 10." Cicero Lovegood announced, "Gryffindor win!"

-AB-

"Congratulations, you lot." Astra said, attempting to sound reluctant but grinning nonetheless. The celebratory atmosphere around them was infectious.

Elias slapped Kerrick on the back, beaming, "Incredible, Rick, absolutely incredible!"

Venusia and Gerbold were busy reliving the match and Kerrick was congratulating the rest of the Gryffindor team. Astra watched him shift from foot to foot as he offered his hand to Matilde Northern but instead of shaking it she grabbed it and pulled him into a hug.

"Nice one, Shacklebolt!" someone called across the bustling crowd and Kerrick grinned.

"Well played, Kerrick." Matilde Northern told him earnestly, "That was a wonderful bludger!"

Kerrick beamed, "Don't forget your four goals, Matilde. You're a brilliant captain!"

It was difficult to tell because of her dark skin, but Astra was sure she saw Matilde blush. Clearly their date to Hogsmeade was going to go very well.

"Come on, let's get away from the crowds." Kendra tugged on Astra's sleeve and the blonde followed her friend away from the cheering students.

They stopped just inside the entrance hall, which was practically empty and Kendra looked as if she might burst with excitement, and not just from the Quidditch match.

"Percival's letter." She clarified.

"Ah." Astra nodded, listening intently.

"He told me that he's almost certainly ensured a promotion at work within the month and that when he sees me this weekend he has a very important question to ask me _and_ he's been to see my parents!" she was almost squealing.

Astra apparently did not see the significance of the last part so Kendra spoke slowly, "He must have visited them to ask my father for permission to propose to me."

Astra's mouth fell open and Kendra giggled. She grabbed Astra's hands and rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet, her dark eyes gleaming.

"That's- that's brilliant, Kenny!" Astra smiled at her friend in earnest. She hadn't told Kendra about Constantin's almost-proposal or the fact that she was meant to marry him sooner rather than later.

"We could be married by this time next year, Astra!" Kendra giggled, almost dancing with anticipation, "And you'll all simply have to be there!"

"Oh, yes, of course!" Astra grinned, "As if I'd miss my best friend's wedding."

Kendra squealed and hugged her tightly. Astra smiled into the hug, wrapping her arms around Kendra's smaller form contentedly.

But their happiness was cut short as Aisling Rosier and Guy Avery emerged from outside. No doubt, Jezebel MacNair wasn't far behind, most likely still yelling at her Quidditch team.

"Oh look," Rosier started gleefully, "Blishwick hasn't got her freak sister to hug her anymore so she's moved on to a Gryffindor mudblood, how charming."

Astra whirled around furiously and Kendra immediately grabbed her to stop her launching herself at the Slytherins.

"Don't, Astra. You'll only get yourself into trouble." Kendra warned lowly.

"Listen to your little mudblood, Blishwick, she's smart. She might last longer than that invalid of a sister Professor Prince's brother keeps locked away in his- agh!"

Aisling was cut off mid-way through her taunt as Astra broke free from Kendra's grip and hurled herself towards the other Slytherin girl.

"Astra, no!" Kendra stumbled forward to try and grab her friend but Astra had tackled Aisling to the ground and the pair of them were now rolling around, throwing kicks and punches at each other mercilessly.

"Oi!" Avery yelled, also trying to snatch at Astra, "Get off her!"

But his shouts were lost as Astra and Aisling screamed at each other on the floor. Astra didn't even bother to think about the bruises she would have come tomorrow, she just wanted to punish Aisling Rosier for daring to say such disgusting things about Eily.

"You nasty," Astra punched at Aisling, "undeserving," she punched again, "entitled, pigeon-livered little ratbag!"

Aisling thrashed around under her, screaming and scratching her sharp fingernails down Astra's arms. In her panic, she thwacked Avery who stumbled backwards, clutching at his eye, howling in pain.

"Astra, STOP!" Kendra thundered.

Astra blinked and seemed to realise for the first time what she was doing. She made to get up from the ground and off of Rosier, but it was a little too late.

"Hardly an appropriate way to respond to losing a Quidditch match, Miss Blishwick. Do you not know that Miss Rosier is also a Slytherin, or have you simply no control over whom you take out your frustrations upon?" Professor Black's drone of impatience swallowed Astra whole and she immediately got up, brushing her robes off and hanging her head in shame.

"I'm sorry, sir. But she was insulting my sister and-"

"I haven't got time for your excuses, Blishwick." Black said, ignoring her completely, "Avery, take yourself and Miss Rosier to the Hospital Wing please. Blishwick, come with me. Frey, get out of my sight."

"But Professor, Astra really was provoked." Kendra protested earnestly.

"I said," Black spat each word at her viciously, "get out of my sight."

Kendra shrank back and Astra heard her footsteps echoing as she walked away. Black met her eyes and smiled, slowly and evilly.

"You, Miss Blishwick, can come with me to discuss your punishment. This behaviour is tantamount to assault and, if I were Head of Slytherin, I would have you expelled." He told her gleefully.

"But you're not." Astra knew she shouldn't have said it, knew she should have bitten her tongue but she couldn't. Not with his leering face looking so happy.

"Miss Blishwick," he said, his voice like ice, "rest assured that I shall not leave out a single detail of your misbehaviour here today, that response included, and we shall see exactly what your Head of House has to say. Now come."


	16. Chapter 16

**Astra Blishwick – Sixteen**

Astra followed Professor Black down to the dungeons feeling sick. She was only slightly confident that Professor Prince wouldn't expel her so long as he heard her side of the story but if he only heard Black's account…

She wondered how long it would take her to pack. How long before she was sent home and married to Constantin. Whether Augustin would let her hide away at his secret location.

Professor Black knocked on the office door and did not wait to be called in. He shoved Astra inside and followed behind her.

Professor Prince looked up when they came in, frowning slightly but quickly covering it up.

"Phineas." He said, "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Professor Black grabbed Astra by the shoulders and forced her into the seat across the desk from Prince.

"This student, Professor Prince, has physically attacked another seventh year and wounded another in the ensuing fight." Black announced, sounding beyond pleased with himself.

"I didn't hurt Avery, Rosier did!" Astra glared at Black, making to get up and say it to his face but she stopped when Prince held up a hand. He hadn't even looked at her yet and she wasn't sure how to feel about that.

"In my personal opinion, Augustin, expulsion is required. However, I am aware that this decision rests with you. But it is needless to say, I am sure, that such behaviour is completely unacceptable and cannot go without serious consequences." Black went on.

It was a warning, Astra knew it was. Black was warning Prince that he had better do something serious to Astra or his authority would be seen as underminable. And Black was loving the satisfaction he was getting from this. Astra knew that he would see this a way of getting back at Astra for not being friends with the right people, for 'consorting' with Iola and for generally being a disobedient little girl.

Professor Prince took a deep breath.

"Thank you for your input, Phineas. Nevertheless, as you have correctly pointed out, the decision of Miss Blishwick's punishment lies with me now. You may be certain that this will not be taken lightly. You may leave us now." He said, his voice deadly calm the whole time.

Professor Black did not look convinced, but he also did not seem to want to pick a fight with Prince. He nodded curtly and took his leave, allowing Astra to face Prince alone.

He didn't say anything for a few long minutes. He wrote something down, his quill scratching on the parchment, and then folded it over and went to the tiny window above the bookstand behind his desk. He opened the window, tapped his wand on the frame three times and waited. Within seconds, a tawny owl had appeared and Prince tied to the note securely to its leg and sent it off. Apparently it knew where to go.

Then he sat down again and looked right over Astra's head at the rows of ingredients on the opposite wall.

"Sir…" Astra said, wondering whether he was ill.

"Yes, Miss Blishwick?" he asked, still not looking at her.

Then a horrible thought crossed her mind; what if the note he had just sent off was her expulsion letter? What if she had already lost her place at the school? What if, right now, Prince was waiting for the Headmistress to come and take her away?

"Sir, am I expelled?" she blurted, her worry taking over.

He finally looked at her and Astra immediately wished he hadn't. His expression was one of sheer and utter disappointment.

Of _all_ her teachers, of _all_ the adults in her life, Augustin Prince was the one whose opinion of her mattered most when she lay in bed at night. What he thought about her was paramount to what everyone else thought. And now he was disappointed in her.

Her eyes fells to the floor in shame. She was an adult too, by magical law, and she had let herself get into a fist fight with another student. It was pathetic.

"Not that I'm aware of no, Miss Blishwick." Prince said quietly but Astra didn't meet his gaze. She kept her eyes trained on the floor, knowing that she had let him down.

"Look at me, Astra." He instructed.

She did. The hurt in his face was still there and she fought the urge to look away or to hide her face in shame. Of all the years she had spent as his student, _this_ was the closest they had come to a teacher-student interaction. _This_ was the only time in _seven years_ where she truly felt like a misbehaving child in need of correction from a teacher. And it was so humiliating.

Astra felt her face redden at the thought that this man, who back home was her friend, her equal, was now having to punish her for behaving like a reckless toddler. Her actions with Rosier had just completely undermined everything he must have thought about how responsible and mature she was.

"What could she possibly have said to deserve being assaulted?" he asked, not unkindly, but more how one might ask a small child. Astra felt her face grow even hotter at the thought. She hated this.

"Rosier called Eily a freak. And- and she said that Valentin was keeping her locked up because she was an invalid. And she called Kendra a mudblood….twice." Astra mumbled, still meeting his gaze.

"Am I to take it then," Augustin began, "that had Miss Rosier said these same things this time last week, you would not have attacked her?"

Astra shook her head. She knew exactly why Aisling's words had had such an effect on her. It was the same reason the girl had said them in the first place. Because of what happened on Halloween.

"She knew." Astra snarled, thinking back to Rosier's smirking face, "She knew about Eily's…episode, she was there, she saw it! And she called her those things because of it!"

Astra felt herself shaking in a rage similar to the one she'd had a few minutes earlier. She clutched the seat of the chair to hold herself steady.

"Eily's terribly, terribly sick, sir, and Rosier called her a freak because of it! As if Eily could help herself!? As if she ought to have some sort of control over it!?"

"Sit down, Miss Blishwick." Augustin said sternly.

Astra frowned, she couldn't even recall standing up but she sat down hastily, looking at the floor again and trying to swallow her anger.

"You are understandably upset and were clearly provoked into your actions." Augustin decided, "However, that does not negate the fact that you have seriously broken the rules and shown a flagrant disregard for the respect and decency that other people are _always_ due despite their own shortcomings, whatever they may be."

Astra deciphered his words to mean that both she and Rosier were at fault.

"Nevertheless, I do not want to expel you, Miss Blishwick, and I do not believe that such a course of action would benefit anyone concerned."

Her heart leapt.

"However, you will be receiving twice weekly detention until the end of the year and you must apologise to Miss Rosier and Mr Avery."

And her heart sank again.

"Until the end of the year, sir!?" she yelped. She had _never _had detention for an entire year and she didn't even know anyone who had.

A sharp squawking alerted them both to the return of the tawny owl and Augustin got up to take the new note attached to its leg. Even Astra could make out the single word written upon it: _yes._

"You heard me correctly, Miss Blishwick. And an apology for those you have injured. You can do that when we return."

"When we return…from where?" Astra asked, having absolutely no idea what he was talking about.

"From 's, Miss Blishwick. You have become an aunt, and I have become an uncle."

-AB-

Astra had never thought much of babies. She didn't really like them from a distance; they just seemed to cry and be sick all the time. But watching Eily cradle her new-born baby in her arms like it was worth a million galleons was, even she had to admit, quite sweet. Eily looked better than she had done at Halloween the previous week. It made Astra hope that maybe her episode was just the stress of the impending birth.

Valentin was busy running around the ward telling anyone who would listen that he was the father of a handsome baby boy.

"How does he _know_ it's handsome?" Astra scoffed, "It's a _baby._"

Augustin smiled bemusedly, "Well I suppose he's assuming he will grow up to look just like his uncle."

"Oh, poor thing. His uncle's hideous."

"I meant myself," Augustin corrected her, "not Constantin."

Astra met his eyes with a smirk, "I know."

A medi-wizard scurried past them, carrying a large empty tub and ordered that everyone stand back so that he could raise the curtains around Eily again. They all did so and watched the medi-wizard flick his wrist. Immediately, enormous blue curtains leapt up and covered Eily and the surrounding space from prying eyes.

"What's happening?" Astra asked.

A few pained yelps came from behind the curtain and Astra rushed forwards. Augustin tugged her back gently, tutting, "Always so keen to run into the thick of it, aren't you?"

She felt herself blush. He might not have meant to remind her of the fight she had just had but he had done so nonetheless.

"I believe Eily is just passing her placenta. It usually happens a short while after birth."

Astra looked up at him with an accusing stare, "How do you know that?"

He smirked, "Should I give you three guesses? Because I'd love to hear the thoughts racing through your head right now."

Astra shook her head, glaring at him, wondering if he was trying to make her face as red as Elias' hair.

"It's sometimes used in potions. Rarely, but I had to read about its sourcing and whether or not it was ethical. A common topic for NEWT essays."

That made more sense than the rash fantasies that had flown through Astra's mind.

As the curtains were taken down, the medi-wizard hurtled away with the basin, which now did not seem to be empty, and allowed everyone to crowd back around Eily.

Misapinoa Blishwick cooed to the tiny baby, pulling endearing faces and blowing on him gently. The child had a small mop of black hair and dark eyes, just like his father. Astra internally sighed; Eily was, by far, the better looking of the couple.

The baby wriggled around, crying slightly and Misapinoa hummed in-between speaking, "Oh no," she cooed in an overdramatic voice, "is it a bit cold little one? Shall we transfigure you some clothes?" she motioned to Jimbo to pass her his handkerchief.

Whilst their mother busied herself transfiguring the small piece of material, Astra watched Eily closely. She still looked very ill. The bags under her eyes were even worse and she was covered in sweat. Astra supposed that was to be expected after having just given birth but still….

"We will need to speak to both Mrs Prince and her husband when the time is available." The same medi-wizard announced to the small group.

"And why on earth would that be?" Valentin demanded, becoming immediately aggressive. Augustin put a hand on his brother's arm.

But the medi-wizard apparently needed no protection. Though he was almost half Valentin's height, he went right up to the man and said clearly, "I should think, Mr Prince, that that is something you would also wish to be discussed later, in private."

The medi-wizard's tone was so commanding that even Valentin did not continue to argue. Instead he just nodded curtly and watched the small man walk away. Determined to avoid the awkward silence that had descended amongst them, Valentin took the baby, who was now wearing a freshly transfigured blanket, and cradled him in his arms.

"I want you all to meet baby Severin." He announced proudly.

Astra wrinkled her nose, "If that's really his name I think I'm going to be _severing _my ties with this family."

Next to her, Augustin smacked her arm lightly, but she felt him chuckle.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: **Thanks for anyone spending their time reading this haha. Just a little warning for mentions (explanations?) of breastfeeding- not sure why this might be an issue for anyone to read about but just in case!

**Astra Blishwick – Seventeen**

Baby Severin balled his eyes out the entire time Constantin held him.

"I think it means he likes you." Astra suggested sweetly.

Constantin was either extremely fatigued or just didn't recognise her sarcasm because he said, "Well, he's only human."

Astra's eyebrows shot into her hairline as she choked.

"And all humans make mistakes." She muttered.

Augustin decided to intervene at that point and offered to hold the baby so that Constantin and Valentin could go and buy some food for them all. Misapinoa and Jimbo Blishwick had left about half an hour ago to purchase presents for the baby. Eily was getting some well-deserved sleep.

Constantin handed the baby over to Augustin with all the grace of a steam train and then practically fled out of the ward, Valentin racing after him.

Augustin sat down on one of the chairs near Eily's bed and patted the seat next to him. Astra eyed it, and the baby, suspiciously.

"Oh, come on, he's stopped crying." Augustin offered.

Astra bit her lip and then sat down. The first thing she noticed was how tiny his hands were. Reaching over to poke at one of the teeny hands, the baby latched onto her finger, wrapping his own miniscule digits around one of her own.

Astra let out a gasp, "He's so small." She breathed in wonder.

Augustin watched her, smiling.

"You could just step on him and that'd be the end of baby Severin." She continued.

Augustin's smile faded and he chuckled nervously.

Astra looked up at him, "I'm not serious." She said, rolling her eyes. A brief look of relief flitted across his face until she went on, "If I was going to kill him, I'd use a wand rather than getting my shoes dirty."

She gasped again when the baby squeezed his fingers around hers.

"I was going to suggest that you hold him, but you'd probably have to stop threatening him with impending death first."

Astra scoffed, "_I_ can't hold him. He's _alive_."

Augustin snickered, "A fact you seem determined to change."

"No, no, I mean, if you let _me_ hold him I probably will kill him, by accident."

"Nonsense." Augustin told her, leaning over and beginning to position her arms so that she could take Severin off him safely.

Astra let out several short bursts of noise as the very _alive_ baby squirmed in her arms. It was mad to think that her own sister had grown this thing inside her. And now it was alive and in her arms. She wondered briefly, whether Kendra and Percival would have a baby anytime soon. Whether she would hold a tiny, condensed version of them in her arms too.

It was at that moment that she realised that some of she herself was in this baby. Well, not exactly, but she was so closely related to the little living thing it momentarily scared her. Would Severin be like her? Would he be tall like her? Would he have her wiry hair and slightly long limbs?

She could see Augustin's likeness in him easily. _Valentin's_, she reminded herself; but it was almost the same thing. He had the dark hair and eyebrows. Astra expected that as he grew up, his hair would grow out and look practically the same as that of his father and uncles. He had dark eyes though, like Valentin and unlike Augustin.

Then he started to cry.

"Oh gosh," Astra said, "did I break him?"

"I doubt it," Augustin reassured her, "he's either hungry or needs changing."

Augustin leaned over Astra, carefully sniffing the baby. Astra held her own nose as far away as possible, she had _not_ volunteered to change the thing.

"It's the problem we can't fix." Augustin announced.

"Oh." Astra said, "I suppose we should wake Eily then."

"That would appear to be the best course of action." Augustin confirmed, "As I doubt either of us will be able to provide what little Severin is after."

Astra sniggered, "Unfortunately not. Not now, not ever."

"That's not necessarily true." Augustin muttered as he leaned over and gently roused Eily from her slumber. He said something to her, careful to keep his tone low and calm, and she nodded, her eyes drifting over to Astra and the baby. She smiled weakly and Astra beamed back.

"Come and hand him over, Astra, I'm sure you're desperate to do so." Augustin said in a not unfriendly tone. Astra approached her sister carefully and allowed Augustin to help her hand the baby over. Eily seemed contended at having him in her arms, even as he cried and wailed right next to her ear.

"Could you fetch me a medi-witch to help?" she asked Augustin weakly. He nodded and stepped away to fulfil her request.

"Are you happy?" Astra blurted out suddenly, watching the baby tug at Eily's hair.

"With my little sweetheart?" Eily asked, "Of course. He's everything I ever dreamed of." She whispered, staring into the child's face.

Astra wondered what the determined medi-wizard had wanted to talk to her about and she almost asked but then Augustin returned, flanked by a short, plump witch in uniform who took up a stance next to Eily's bed.

"Right," she said in a jovial voice, "let's feed this little one, eh?"

-AB-

Astra and Augustin found themselves sitting outside the blue curtain again as Eily fed Severin. They could hear the joyous encouragements of the medi-witch every few minutes.

"Does it hurt?" Astra wondered aloud.

"Hmm," Augustin started, "let me think, the last time I did it was….oh, never."

Astra smacked him lightly. She would ask Eily later.

"What did you mean, earlier, when you said it wasn't necessarily true that I'd never do it?" she stared straight ahead as she asked, afraid that if she looked at him her cheeks would flush.

"Well it's not necessarily true." He shrugged, an unusual gesture for him, making Astra think that she had made him uncomfortable. She inwardly sniggered.

"Thanks for the in-depth explanation, _Professor_."

She was sure she heard him growl.

"If you were to endure pregnancy and give birth, Astra, then yes, your body would naturally prepare you to be able to feed that baby."

Astra rolled her eyes, now enjoying his obvious discomfort. A niggle in her head suggested she was just extremely bored, but she continued to poke the bear nonetheless.

"And if I wasn't pregnant? If I hadn't given birth? It must still be possible." She was thinking of adopted children; surely they had not all been denied nourishment simply because their birth parents were not around?

"Babies do not necessarily need their mother's milk. Milk supplied from the common cow is sufficient enough when required."

"_But_," Astra said pointedly, not allowing the topic to drop, "it is possible for any woman to feed a baby with her own milk, even if she didn't birth it?"

"Yes." Augustin sighed at last, "The muggles have a primitive contraption to stimulate the production of milk in women wishing to do so and there are….certain potions which induce it in witches. Needless to say that the magical method is far more effective."

"Hark at you." Astra teased, "You could be a medi-wizard, what with all this knowledge."

"Perhaps," he acknowledged, sighing deeply, "and yet I decided to dedicate myself to the education of incredibly frustrating young imbeciles."

"That's no way to talk about Professor Black." Astra chided him. He flashed her a warning look but Astra knew he was trying not to smile. His eyes gleamed with hidden mirth as Constantin and Valentin returned, their arms full of food.

"Ridiculously long queue," Valentin was grumbling as they offered pumpkin pasties to Astra and Augustin, "wouldn't even let us to the front when we announced the birth of my pureblood heir. Unacceptable behaviour from a magical establishment."

Astra bit into her pasty to avoid the nasty remark she had in mind for Valentin Prince. They all ate in silence, listening only to the faint noises coming from behind the curtain until Constantin began to speak and Augustin flew to his feet, knocking his chair over in the process.

"We should leave." He told Astra suddenly. The Slytherin student barely had time to process this sudden decision before Constantin did manage to speak, and he directed his words at Augustin.

"You slimy bastard!" he shouted, making towards his brother with clenched fists, "You can't do this forever, you know. At some point you'll have to leave her to me, whether you see it coming or not! They ought to throw you into Azkaban for doing that without permission!"

Constantin had walked right up to Augustin now and, though he was shorter, his red-faced anger more than made up for what he lacked in height. Augustin shifted slightly, positioning himself directly in front of Astra, shielding her from Constantin's view.

"I will stop doing it when it stops being necessary." Augustin hissed, and Astra had never heard him sound so malevolent.

"Keep your nasty little thoughts to yourself, brother." The Potions Master warned, before whirling around, pulling Astra to him and vanishing them both on the spot.

-AB-

It was the second time in less than a week that Astra had trudged from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts in the dark, trying to keep up with her Potions teacher. She was beginning to wonder whether she could just pretend to faint and he would carry her back; her legs ached.

"What was he thinking?" Astra moaned, having realised that Augustin's severe reaction was to something he had seen inside Constantin's mind.

"Nothing that you wish to hear." Augustin said firmly and his tone told Astra that it was not up for discussion. His dark cloak billowed in the wind and he was just about the only thing that was blacker than the night sky.

"Do you know why the medi-wizard wanted to talk to Eily and Valentin?" she asked, wondering whether he had also read the minds of the staff on the ward.

"I don't. I reserve unauthorised mind reading for my brothers, I'm used to being unable to trust their thoughts."

_So he hasn't read my mind either_, Astra thought. She supposed that this information should have been obvious. Despite the fact that she had never had her mind read, she knew that one could feel it when it happened. That was how Constantin had known Augustin had been in his thoughts. She wondered what, exactly, it did feel like; to have someone else inside your head, rooting through your thoughts, seeing the most private of things, even without your permission. It almost sounded like…mind rape.

Hoots and howls carried through the air and Astra rushed to catch up with Augustin. It would be a rather pathetic way to die; alone and helpless on the road to Hogwarts.

Astra wanted to ask when Eily would be home again and when she could start visiting her there, but she realised with little surprise that she was absolutely exhausted. And tomorrow she had a full day of lessons.

A yawn escaped her and she covered her mouth, sheepishly. As they reached the entrance hall, Augustin reassured the menacing figure of Rancorous Carpe that Astra had permission to be out after curfew but that she would be immediately returning to her dorm.

"Oh, and Miss Blishwick?" he called after her.

Astra turned back to face him, her tired eyes begging for sleep.

"Your detentions will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning next week. Do not forget."

Cursing him silently, Astra stumbled down to the dungeons and collapsed on her four-poster bed. Iola was snoring beside her.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: **hi guys, thanks for reading- pre-warning for this chapter; there's mention in passing of an intimate relationship, nothing detailed but just thought I'd let you know. Thank you!

**Astra Blishwick – eighteen**

The next day, Astra wanted nothing more than to fall asleep at her desk throughout the whole of Transfiguration. Professor Fronsac seemed to be miles away, his voice going straight into one of Astra's ears and out of the other. She prayed he wouldn't ask her anything and that whatever it was he was droning on about would not come up on their final exam.

She'd told her friends at breakfast that she was now an Aunt and they'd all responded as she had expected. Kerrick and Kendra were excited for her. Venusia had expressed concern about the practicality of taking time off school to visit someone else's baby. Elias had seemed slightly repulsed at the idea of a real live baby and Gerbold had asked Astra if Severin had been sick on her.

She had yet to inform Iola of their new relation because the dark-haired girl had disappeared off for an early breakfast, as usual. Talking to Iola would also mean explaining that she hadn't procured any Gestation Numbing Potion for her yet.

"You alright?" Kendra whispered to her; dark eyes full of concern.

Astra hummed in response, too deep in her thoughts to formulate an acceptable answer. She didn't want to worry any of her friends, especially when they were all so looking forward to their Hogsmeade trip that weekend. But Astra still had nobody to go with and her detentions with Prince started the very next week.

Astra had told Kendra that Phineas had deliberately tried to convince Augustin to expel her. Astra wouldn't have blamed him, had he been genuinely trying to punish her actions. But she knew it was more than that for Phineas. Her cousin wanted to make her suffer for being friends with the wrong crowd.

Phineas Nigellus Black had always been a stuck-up nuisance. During his last year at Hogwarts, when he had been the Head Boy, he had thoroughly enjoyed handing out punishments to the lower years. Even Elladora Black, who had been a studious fourth year at the time, had snapped at Phineas in front of the entire Slytherin common room when he dared to suggest that she was breathing too loudly for him to concentrate. Iola and Astra, having been rather timid third years, had sat, silently, watching their relatives throw insults at each other with increasing ferocity.

There had never been any doubt in Astra's mind that, should Phineas and Elladora ever come to blows, magic or otherwise, Elladora could take the eldest Black child easily. But Phineas had a way with words; a nasty way, that left anyone who dared cross him feeling inadequate and pathetic. Iola had suggested privately to Astra that Phineas still felt guilty over the premature death of their older brother, Sirius, who had died in 1853 at the age of eight. Phineas had been six at the time and was the only Black sibling old enough to remember Sirius.

"_He's always blamed himself. Says he should have been stronger after father died. Says that would've helped Sirius cope better." _Iola had told her cousin.

Cygnus Black, Iola's late father, had been killed two years before Sirius in a 'magical accident', though what actually happened had never been made entirely clear. Sirius had become practically unresponsive after this and never spoke again until the day he died. Iola told Astra that Phineas and her mother had watched Sirius waste away before their very eyes. Astra didn't like to think about that, it made her think of Eily and that was a comparison she did not want to make.

It made her feel sorry for Iola, though. Astra usually thought of her youngest cousin as a strange, cold character with odd habits and the temperament of a jumpy rabbit. But she was not unpleasant company. It was true, Astra had never heard her crack a joke in her life, but then maybe she herself never would have if her father had died when she was young. If her elder sibling had died and she'd been left with nobody but her mother and two other, cold, siblings for comfort. And Astra had seen Iola looking happy. Her mind flicked back to their heart to heart in the closet; Astra had almost _felt _her cousin's joy at the thought of being with someone she had fallen in love with.

_You don't know what that feels like_. The voice inside her head taunted her, cruelly. Astra sighed. She wasn't even sure that she wanted to know. For almost eighteen years of her life, Astra had been content on her own. It had always, as far as she could remember, been her dream to live alone; to be allowed to do whatever she pleased without having to worry about someone else and their feelings. _Was that selfish?_

But Kendra's face lit up so brightly when she talked about Percival. Gerbold had apparently flushed scarlet and been unable to speak when Lance Fawley's sister had asked him to Hogsmeade. And Kerrick's look of complete and utter adoration for Matilde Northern when they had won their Quidditch match was unrivalled. Even Elias and Venusia, who obviously harboured extremely well-hidden feelings for one and another, seemed to revel in the time they got to spend together, even if they did argue all the time.

_Maybe I'm dead inside_, Astra wondered. But that couldn't be true. She would easily admit to loving her friends. _But that's not the same, you know that_.

And when all her friends had gotten married and had families, and when Astra was living all alone; who would she love then? And who would love her?

"I think I need a pet." She muttered aloud.

Kendra squinted at her, "Where the hell did that come from? We're supposed to be transfiguring tortoises into coffee cups."

-AB-

By that evening, as she lay in bed, Astra had decided that she would like a cat best. A black cat; because they were supposed to be unlucky and Astra definitely did not believe in that nonsense. She was just deciding that she should begin a list of potential names when Iola's whispering sounded in her ear.

"I know Halloween didn't go to plan, but did you find out anything useful?" she asked, sounding guilty for even asking.

Astra leaned over towards her bed, away from Rosier and MacNair's. She was fairly sure the other two girls were asleep, but she did not want to risk it.

"I know where the potion is and how to get to it." She told her cousin, who heaved a sigh of relief, "But I haven't had the chance to go back yet and actually get any."

Then she remembered that she hadn't even told Iola about Eily.

"Oh, and Eily had the baby, it's a boy."

She wondered what expression Iola was making, but she couldn't see in the darkness.

"I know," Iola's reply came, surprising Astra, "Augustin told Phineas and he came to find me this morning to let me know."

That made sense. Augustin was, clearly, more organised than Astra, who had spent most of the day trying to sort through her own cluttered thoughts.

"I don't know when Eily will be back home so that I can visit." Astra admitted. She hoped it would be soon but she also didn't want to put Eily in any danger. If her sister was better off staying longer in St. Mungo's then that was what would happen.

"Don't worry," Iola said through a yawn, "I trust you."

As Iola's snores once again filled the room, Astra hoped that the trust her cousin was putting in her wasn't misplaced.

The next couple of days went without much to talk about. Augustin informed Astra on Friday morning that Eily would spend the next week in the hospital and then be sent home. Apparently, she wasn't very well and needed to be checked on frequently. Augustin reassured her that it was nothing fatal but that only served to worry Astra more. She deliberately avoided spending the Friday evening feast with her friends because she knew they would all be avidly discussing the Hogsmeade trip the next day, and instead she sat alone, in her dormitory, imagining what her cat would look like.

She'd decided that it would have yellow eyes. It would be completely black, though she'd read that most black cats are not completely one colour; they usually had some different coloured fur, however covert it was.

Her list of potential names kept on growing. Currently, 'Merlin' occupied the top spot if it was a male cat, and 'Morgana' if it was a female. Both appropriately Slytherin names, Astra had decided.

Her stomach rumbled and she chewed on some fudge sticks she had bought in Diagon Alley over the summer. They were harder than they had been when she'd first bought them, but them didn't taste any different. They were supposed to be shaped like wands and there was some sort of spell you could cast to make them melt in your mouth but Astra preferred to chew them.

She thought back to when Augustin had carefully placed her actual wand into her mouth and instructed her to bite down on it. The fudge wands undoubtedly tasted better than her own wand, but it did remind her that she enjoyed Augustin's company immensely. But she had let him down; his expression when he found out about her attacking Aisling Rosier had been mortifying.

But then he had been so gentle when passing baby Severin to her in the hospital. He'd watched her carefully as she stared down at the bundle of squirming life in her arms. He'd had so much confidence in her, that she wouldn't mess up, that she wouldn't hurt the baby; it had warmed her heart.

She definitely did not want a baby, though. The thought of that terrified her. How could she possibly ever be responsible enough to care for a baby? Besides, she didn't want to spend nine months waddling around, anxious of anything that she ate or that touched her belly. She didn't want to go through the exhaustion and pain that came with childbirth. And, if she was completely honest, she had no real interest in the preceding steps required to produce a baby in the first place.

Kendra did. She had mentioned it casually to Astra once but never again, having found little common ground on the matter with the Slytherin girl. She'd told Astra, rather haphazardly, that she wanted to sleep with Percival and that she wasn't sure whether he would also want to do so, or whether he would want to wait until they were married. Astra had promptly started choking on the pasty she had been eating and Kendra slapped her on the back until she could speak again.

"Why not just ask _him_?" she had suggested pointedly.

Kendra had snorted, "Because girls are supposed to ask their friends first. Y'know, for advice?"

"And if I have no advice to offer?" Astra had asked.

Kendra had looked at her imploringly, begging her to just say _something_ but Astra couldn't think of anything. She didn't share Kendra's desire to be with someone; she couldn't understand it.

She had shrugged, giving her friend an apologetic look.

"I suppose I will just talk to Percy about it then." Kendra had sighed.

Astra didn't know if she had talked to Percival. She assumed so, since the pair of them had spent some of the summer in France together. And now they were going to get engaged.

_That_ sparked her memory.

Kendra was meant to be getting engaged…_tomorrow_. And Astra hadn't gotten her anything!

"She even _told_ me beforehand!" Astra cursed herself, wondering how she could have been so stupid. Even more infuriating was the realisation that this meant she would have to go to Hogsmeade tomorrow to get something for her friend. And she would have to go alone so that Kendra didn't find out.

Deciding that some sweets from Honeydukes and a well-wishing card would suffice, Astra closed her eyes and lay back. If she was going to die alone, she was going to do it having slept well.


	19. Chapter 19

Astra Blishwick – Nineteen

Hogsmeade was depressingly cold. Astra hugged her cloak around her and shivered. She hated the cold and felt it much more than anyone else she knew. It was just cold enough for her to be able to see her own breath in front of her face.

Hogwarts students from the third year and above bustled around, calling to each other and grinning. Bells kept ringing as shop doors were frequently opened and closed. Safe in the knowledge that all of her friends were sitting in secluded cafes with their respective dates for the day, Astra filed into Honeydukes and began picking up sweets.

Having replenished her own stock of fudge wands and bought Kendra some heart shaped chocolates that sang painfully high-pitched love ballads, she shoved everything into her bag and went to the card shop.

Cards were a relatively new thing to Astra, as they were to most of the wizarding world. A recent muggle custom brought to the country by the muggle Queen's new husband, a German Prince, Astra knew that Kendra would understand the reasoning behind it. Kendra had informed her that muggle cards were just that; pieces of card that people wrote messages on and gave to others. But the wizarding cards Astra was now looking through were all magically enchanted. Some had pictures that moved and danced across the card, others sang hymns or songs. Astra decided that she was putting Kendra through enough pain with the singing chocolates and moved away from those cards.

She was about to pick up a fairly plain looking green card when a drawling voice drifted across the shop. Astra immediately ducked behind a display of Bonfire Night cards that actually exploded when opened and listened, closely.

"Of course, what with our closeness to the Malfoy family, I should expect I'll be able to convince him easily. And, if not, he'll do it for Ursula's sake. He is so very fond of her."

It was a man, Astra was sure of it, and, by the sounds of it, a pureblood.

Then a voice that Astra _definitely_ recognised chimed in.

"Oh, you are clever, my love. Just imagine what Professor Black will say when he finds out. His family will reward yours heftily, I'm certain of it." Aisling Rosier's nasally drawl added to her companion's.

Astra tried to remember her conversation on the staircase with Aisling, back at Eily and Valentin's house on Halloween. She had definitely mentioned a man; someone she was going to be engaged to, but Astra couldn't recall his name.

"How about this one, darling, this one has _sparkles_ on it." The first voice droned, sounding utterly uninterested.

Aisling squealed and Astra had never heard sound so ridiculous. Usually, out of her friendship group, she was the one to demonstrate the most brainpower but now she sounded like a lovesick girl.

"It's wonderful, Joseph! She'll simply adore it, I'm sure!"

The man, Joseph, sneered, "She'd better. What with the lengths I'm going to for her. She'd better stay on Black's good side when they're married, I'm not dealing with the consequences if she doesn't."

Astra tried to concentrate on what he was saying, to remember it for later, but a large part of her brain was still trying to remember the name of this man. Aisling's words from the party whirled around inside her mind.

"_Because he's rich, Blishwick. And a rich imbecile is the best any pure-blooded woman can do. You see, not only do I get all of his money, but I also get to control his every move because the man is so stupid he doesn't know right from left….."_

_Joseph Flint._ That was it. So, Joseph Flint had some sort of scheme going on involving Professor Black and the Malfoys?

Astra didn't know the Malfoys personally. She had seen some of their family members at parties and balls over the years; they were fairly easy to spot because of their white blond hair. The only Malfoy she had ever met on a one to one basis was Augustin's mother, Drusilla. She had been a Malfoy until she married Antonin Prince, and she had the Malfoy hair to prove it. But Antonin's dark waves had been enough to ensure that all three of their sons looked like their father rather than their mother.

And then there was the Malfoy that Iola had mentioned. The one that was living with a squib and two muggles. Septimus? Septimian? It had been something like that. That was strange to her. Why would a pureblood wizard of such an esteemed family be living in that house? Unless he was a spy?

Astra withheld a gasp at the thought. Maybe the Malfoy who was living with the Hitchins muggles was secretly spying on Iola. That would explain Phineas' involvement. It was no secret to Astra now, that Phineas was desperate to know what Iola was up to. And he was absolutely convinced that she _was_ up to something. But what did it have to do with this Ursula woman? How did any of it link to her marrying Phineas?

Astra pondered these things for so long that the shop assistant cautiously came over to her and asked if she was alright. Astra realised that Aisling and Joseph had long left the shop and she was currently the only customer.

"Oh, uhh, yes, I'm fine. Just this, please." She handed the green card over and paid.

-AB-

On her way back to the school, Astra passed Guildford Rowle and Christa Webb snogging on a bench. She avoided the cold glares of both of them, accusatory expressions daring her to stop and stare. Though she doubted that either of the two Hufflepuffs would actually hurt her, Astra had absolutely no intention of finding out.

Geraint and Francis Prewitt were arguing over the quality of their brand-new cauldrons in the entrance hall and Astra wondered whether everyone had suddenly become a Hufflepuff. Her absurd worry only increased as she passed Professors Abbott and Axton on the stairs.

It was almost a relief to enter the Slytherin common room and find a bunch of first and second years clad in their green uniforms.

Astra bounded up to her dormitory and tossed her bag onto her bed. Then she came face to face with Iola Black.

The dark-haired girl was reading contentedly, but she looked up when Astra burst in.

"You look like you've seen a ghost." Iola said calmly.

Astra shook her head, nudging the door to make sure it was shut before returning to her bed.

"I just overheard Rosier and her boyfriend in Hogsmeade. Joseph Flint, his name is."

"Oh, yes." Iola nodded, seeming familiar with the name, "His sister's insanely keen on Phineas."

"Ursula?" Astra guessed.

If Iola was surprised that Astra knew, she didn't show it. She simply nodded again.

"Well Joseph just told Aisling that he's going to convince the Malfoys to do something for Phineas and that in return Phineas will marry Ursula."

_This _did seem to rile Iola. Her eyes went wide and she chucked her book onto her bedside table.

"The Malfoys in general or a specific member of the family?" She demanded, suddenly taking on the role of an interrogator.

"Uhh, just one person, I think. A man. I didn't get a name though." Astra told her honestly, "I was thinking it might be the Malfoy you mentioned, the one living with the muggles and the squib."

"Yes, I'm thinking the same thing." Iola said, looking visibly distressed.

"Well, do you think he's trustworthy? Would he rat you out to Joseph Flint?" Astra found herself doing the interrogating now.

"I…I don't think so. He's like family to me." Iola said, but her voice was shaky now.

Then a thought popped into Astra's head.

"Let's go and visit and find out." She suggested, a devious smile spreading across her face.

Iola shook her head vigorously, "No! Astra, how on earth would we get there?"

"We'd apparate of course. Well, you would apparate, since you know where we're going."

"You can't apparate inside Hogwarts grounds." Iola pointed out.

"But it's a Hogsmeade trip today. We can go from there."

"Side along apparition leaves more room for error. For _splinching_." Iola pleaded.

"It'll be fine, Iola. Surely you want to know the truth. If this Malfoy man grasses you up to Phineas, you're dead." Astra told her sternly. She knew that Iola knew she was right.

"Fine." Iola gave in, finally. Astra grinned.

-AB-

The apparition had gone smoothly. Astra thanked the heavens because, in all honesty, she had not been sure Iola could pull it off. But her cousin had impressed her and Astra made a mental note not to underestimate her again.

"They live here." Iola pointed to the second house in on the street they had appeared in.

Astra looked up curiously. The house was a terrace, made of red brick and covered in vines. Foliage also grew around the entrance and up the steps to the door. The door itself was incredibly narrow and taller than Astra imagined it would ever need to be, unless the Hitchins were inviting giants to tea.

The street itself was quiet and narrow. Astra could not even make out where it ended. The row of houses seemed to go on forever and every single one looked exactly the same. There was absolutely nothing fancy about this place. It smelled vaguely of sewage and, as Astra looked down, she realised that the road was piled high on either side with horse manure.

"Ugh!" Astra cried, side-stepping to get away from it. She caught Iola's eye and silently apologised. Obviously, the Hitchens did not live on this street out of choice; they likely did not have much money and, from what Kendra had told her, Astra knew that even being able to afford a place to live was considered being well-off in the muggle world.

"We have to be back before the feast." Iola reminded her cousin.

Astra nodded, and they trudged up the steps to the doorway. Iola knocked firmly and then they waited. Astra took one last look at the street behind them and decided that it must be a lie. There was absolutely no way that a _Malfoy _lived here.

She was proven wrong almost immediately.

The tall narrow door swung open with an uncomfortable creak. A figure appeared behind it and Iola smiled nervously.

"Hello, Septimius. Is anyone else home?" she asked timidly.

Astra tried not to snort. That was Iola's polite way of asking if they could speak to anyone that wasn't him.

"Iola." The man said. Astra looked him up and down. He wore casual clothes; a shirt tucked into some trousers and laced up boots. He had a thick scarf wrapped around his neck that looked homemade. His signature Malfoy hair swept gracefully past his shoulders and his pale complexion was almost perfect, light blue eyes shining at them.

"To what do we owe the pleasure?" he continued, and his voice sounded like liquid caramel. Never before in her life had Astra understood the idea of instant physical attraction…until now. She gawked at the man, open mouthed and dumbstruck. She was on the verge of asking him whether he was, in fact, a god in human form, when Iola spoke.

"Just a social call, Septimius." Iola said calmly, "May we come in? This is my cousin, Astra Blishwick."

Septimius regarded Astra with a look of mild distaste and Astra shut her mouth immediately. She felt herself flushing and clenched her fists. _You look like such an idiot!_ she internally yelled at herself.

Then the beautiful white blond man stepped back and motioned for them to come in.

"Thank you." Iola told him gratefully.

"Yeah, thanks." Astra said. He raised a brow at her doubtfully and she bit her lip. She had met this man a mere minute ago and he already thought she was a moron.

"Roberta and Michael are in the living room. I believe Philip has gone to purchase some bread but he ought to be back soon." Septimius said over their heads, "Do go on in. It's extremely…._cosy_."


	20. Chapter 20

Astra Blishwick – twenty

'Cosy' turned out to be Septimius Malfoy's version of the word 'tiny'. Astra guessed he must be far more used to living in an enormous house with grand furnishings and, compared to that ideal, the Hitchins' house was very small.

Shuffling into the living room behind Iola, Astra noticed that 'living room' was also quite a loose definition. The kitchen was also in this room and took up about half of the available space. There was one rat eaten sofa and three chairs all squashed into the other end of the room and a single, square window, which allowed a small amount of light in. Floating candles hung above, just below the ceiling, providing a little more light.

As they entered the room, a tall woman with short red hair leapt up to greet them.

"Iola!" she gushed, pulling the small girl into her arms and hugging her tightly. Iola returned the embrace, her face lighting up at the sight of the redhead.

"Bob!" she smiled, her voice thick with an odd mixture of relief and joy.

Astra watched them hold each other for a few moments before they separated and the redheaded woman turned to her.

"Oh, this is my cousin, Astra Blishwick," Iola said hurriedly, "it's alright, we can trust her. She's going to get us the potion I told you about."

Bob smiled at this and extended a hand towards Astra. Astra took it and shook it, offering a small smile herself.

Bob had excited brown eyes and a round face. She was almost as tall as Astra herself and therefore half a head taller than Iola. She had a few smile lines at the corners of her eyes but she looked quite young. If Astra was guessing, she'd have put the woman's age at around twenty, if that. Her stomach was only slightly swollen and, if Astra hadn't known she was pregnant, she probably wouldn't have guessed.

Behind Bob, and sitting on one of the dilapidated chairs, was a man with curly grey hair and a tired, lined face. He looked kind and had an approachable air about him, but he also looked exhausted, as if he might collapse and die right there and then. Astra hoped he didn't.

"Hello, Astra," Bob was saying to her in a friendly tone, "this is Michael Bones." she gestured to the old man in the chair, "My brother, Philip has just popped out shopping, and of course you've met Septimius Malfoy."

Behind Astra, Septimius grunted in agreement. Astra felt herself flush again.

"Do have a seat." Bob encouraged her. Astra noticed that Iola had already sat down in the seat next to Michael and was asking him about his carrots and whether they were growing fast enough.

Avoiding the chair from which Bob herself had just gotten up, Astra sat carefully on the sofa. She was rather worried that her weight would cause it to collapse because it was so full of holes. She wondered why Septimius didn't just use magic to fix it but she didn't dare ask. The wizard in question surveyed the room quickly and then, with obvious resentment, sat down next to Astra on the sofa.

"Don't mind him," Bob leaned over to Astra cheerily and nodded towards Septimius, "he likes to pretend he's a miserable old sod but it's not true."

Astra forced a chuckle and avoided Septimius' gaze, which she could now feel boring into the back of her head.

"We're here on a rather delicate matter actually, Bobby." Iola began and Astra assumed that 'Bobby' must be a pet name that Iola used for Bob when she wanted something.

"You know you can share anything with us, Iola." Bob said, frowning slightly. The furrowed brow didn't suit her, Astra decided; she looked much more natural when she smiled.

"Well," Iola said, looking around at all of them, "we have reason to believe that the Flints are trying to catch me out. Prove that I'm consorting with muggles, as they would phrase it. And we think they're going to try and extract that information from you, Septimius."

The blond did not look at all surprised to hear this and Astra wondered whether he had already spoken to the Flints.

"Well," Septimius said, his voice like melting butter, "it is not unexpected. We knew they would suspect as such eventually. I presume the Flints' curiosity stems from suspicions that your own family harbour, Iola?"

Iola bowed her head sadly, "My brother, Phineas, is convinced I'm involved in something I shouldn't be."

Bob took Iola's hand gently and the two shared a small smile. It wasn't hard to realise that they were in love.

"I'd say that you can rest assured I shall not divulge any such information, Iola, but I fear that may not stay your worries. If you would like, I will make the Unbreakable Vow with you." Septimius offered.

Astra audibly gasped. Everyone looked at her and she quickly apologised.

"Sorry, it's just, that's a rather serious thing to just offer up."

Septimius looked at her as if she had just proposed that they all jump off a cliff.

"We are family here." He said firmly, "Related or not. And family will do anything for each other. I'd die before I let Iola's secret escape."

His words were heavy with reality. Astra suddenly wondered whether _she _would die before letting Iola's secret escape.

"The Unbreakable Vow is not necessary, Septimius." Iola assured him, "We just thought we ought to check and to warn you that Joseph Flint might start harassing you for information."

Septimius nodded.

The conversation then turned to the baby. Iola told them that Eily had given birth just the other week and that Astra had held the child. Bob spent a long time quizzing Astra on how it felt and telling her how perfectly she had imagined it. Iola listened attentively the entire time, squealing excitedly in all the right places and putting her hand on Bob's stomach.

Michael reminisced fondly of his own children and wife who had apparently all died from cholera when they were quite young. His croaky voice broke as he recalled wishing he could've been the one to fall ill instead of them. Astra stayed silent at this. She didn't know how to deal with upset and crying people and she had not come prepared. Bob and Iola both hugged him and rubbed his shoulders affectionately. Septimius watched on coolly. It seemed that he, too, was not very good at comforting people.

As they all heard the door creak open and close again and a redheaded man peered into the living room, arms full of bread, Astra realised the time. It was getting incredibly dark outside and they still had to walk back to Hogwarts from Hogsmeade.

"We should go." Astra told her cousin warily.

Iola nodded. She greeted Philip Hitchins quickly and then apologised to Bob.

"We really have to leave, I'm ever so sorry." She told her. Bob shook her head fondly, "Nonsense. You both go now, we've taken up enough of your time. We'll see you soon. It was lovely meeting you, Astra. Give my love to your sister and the baby."

Astra nodded, knowing she could do no such thing. Then Iola said goodbye to the others and grabbed Astra's arm tightly. Within a split second they were back in Hogsmeade.

-AB-

"How old is Bob?" Astra asked as she trudged back up to the castle for the third time.

"Nineteen." Iola replied, "She'll be twenty before Christmas though."

There was an elongated pause and then Astra blurted, "Septimius Malfoy is very handsome."

Iola threw back her head and laughed. Astra frowned, "What?" she asked.

"Nothing, nothing." Iola waved a hand around, "It's just that he _is _handsome, as you say. But he's also far more interested in other men than he would ever be in either of us, cousin."

And then it dawned on Astra. That was why he was living in a house with two muggles and a squib. That was why he was putting up with the cramped conditions and unpleasant smell.

"But, if his family know, then why are the Flints still acquainted with him?" Astra frowned.

"His family _don't _know, Astra. He left of his own accord because he knew they wouldn't accept him for who he was. They think he left because of a disagreement over money. They think he'll be home before next summer, begging on his knees to be taken back in."

It was so unfair, Astra thought. Not only did their pureblood families have a problem with muggles but Septimius Malfoy had had to move out because he couldn't be with another wizard! It was never a concern that had even crossed Astra's mind growing up. But now she thought it must have been incredibly difficult for the beautiful man. And for Iola.

"I'm sorry." Astra said suddenly, "I'm sorry if I was ever mean to you over the years. I'm sorry if I ever ignored you in favour of my friends. I'm sorry."

"Astra, I don't need your sudden sympathy just because you now know who I truly am." Iola said, fixing her cousin with a judging look. "If you ever thought I looked lonely and ignored me for your friends it was because it was the easy thing to do. If you ever said anything mean to me over the years it was because it was the easy thing to do. It was not because you were under some misapprehension that my sexuality made me a freak."

Astra hung her head in shame. Iola was right. She was trying to blame all of her poor behaviour on the fact that Iola was different. On the notion that she had somehow known this, somehow sensed it.

"You're right." The taller girl told her cousin. Iola watched her closely.

"You're right. It was poor of me try and say such a thing. So I'm sorry for that. And I am, truly, sorry for mistreating you in the past. I'm no brave Gryffindor but there are definitely times when I've been a coward. Forgive me." Astra meant it. Every word.

"I'll try." Iola promised, "After all, when I needed help, you were there for me. Many others weren't and that means a lot."

When they finally reached the castle, the pair of Slytherins headed straight down to the dungeons and to bed. It was incredibly late and they were both shattered.

-AB-

At breakfast the next morning Astra received cool stares from her friends who immediately stopped talking as she approached. Gerbold and Elias refused to even look at her and Venusia and Kerrick had worried expressions on their faces. Kendra looked at her with anger.

Astra was taken aback. She sat down, tentatively, and turned to address them all, "What's wrong?" she asked, "What's with the cold attitudes?"

They all shifted to look at Kendra and Astra followed their lead. Brown eyes met blue and Kendra sniffed.

"Percival asked me to marry him yesterday. And I accepted." She said coldly.

_Oh, shit_.

Astra had completely forgotten about that after she'd started talking to Iola. Her best friend had gotten engaged and she hadn't even been there to congratulate her. She had specifically gone to Hogsmeade to get her a gift for the occasion and then run off to a muggle terrace house with her cousin.

"That's- that's wonderful news, Kenny." She managed weakly, "I'm really pleased for you. I'm- I'm sorry I couldn't be there."

"_Couldn't_?" Kendra challenged.

Astra inwardly cursed. She had no way of explaining this. She couldn't tell them where she had been because that would reveal Iola's secret. But saying she had completely forgotten sounded absolutely pathetic.

"I…I can't tell you why." She muttered lamely.

"What?" Elias accused harshly, "You _can't tell her why_? Where on earth have you been, Astra? Spying for the Ministry?"

"Elias, give her a chance." Venusia hissed.

"Of course I haven't." Astra snapped at the redhead before turning back to Kendra, "Kenny I swear to you that if I could have been there, I would have. And I can't tell you where I was so you'll just have to believe me, but I am so, so sorry I wasn't around."

Kendra met her friend's eyes again and nodded slightly, seeming to believe the Slytherin.

"I mean it." Astra told her, "Every word."

The silence as they all ate was only slightly less uncomfortable than it had been when she'd walked in.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N:** trigger warning- mentions of self-harm

Astra Blishwick – twenty-one

By Tuesday evening Astra wanted the floor to swallow her up and end it all. Her friends were all still being cool with her and the increasing amount of time she was spending with Iola Black wasn't helping things.

That morning she'd overheard Venusia and Elias talking with Cicero Lovegood and Clem Longbottom.

"Maybe she's just trying to make the transition easier for all of you." Clem was saying, "Y'know, make a move over to the pureblood side before the end of the year so it doesn't hurt you all so much when you never see her again."

"Astra wouldn't do that." Venusia sighed, "She's stubborn as a bull, she wouldn't give in to her family's demands even if it meant living as a clown for the rest of her life."

"She might make a good clown, the way she's acting at the moment." Elias suggested.

Astra heard Venusia scold him.

"Maybe she was a slippery serpent all along and none of you realised it." Cicero Lovegood said dreamily, "Maybe she's been using that Slytherin cunning this entire time and you all fell for the act."

Astra had stormed away; she'd heard more than enough. In fairness, she didn't care one iota for the opinion of Cicero Lovegood, but it just served to make her angrier, both with her friends and with herself.

She had spent lunch alone in the library, trying and failing to study. Iola had found her there and asked if she was alright. Astra had made some sort of non-committed answer and then Iola had asked about the Gestation Numbing Potion.

"I haven't had the chance!" Astra had snapped furiously.

Iola had scurried away at this, looking hurt and confused. Astra didn't have the willpower to go after her and apologise. What would she say anyway? '_I'm sorry I yelled at you but one of my friends called me a clown this morning and I just can't cope anymore._'

She had become so frustrated with almost everything going on in her life at that moment that she completely forgot about her detention with Prince until she was already half an hour late. She bolted out of the common room and down the corridor, not slowing down until she reached the potions classroom door and knocked desperately, her breath coming in short gasps.

"Come in." Augustin's voice came through the door and Astra yanked it open and darted inside.

"You're late." He observed, taking in her untidy appearance.

"I'm sorry, Professor." Astra apologised, "Lot on my mind." She mumbled.

"Indeed." Augustin did not sound convinced at all. He told her to brew a calming draught without instructions and then returned to his marking without waiting for her to speak.

Astra dejectedly headed toward the general supply cabinet and started prepping everything. She had studied this potion a few weeks ago but wasn't sure she could quite remember exactly how to brew it. Her mind was tired, and she wanted to be asleep, in bed, where she couldn't mull everything over again and make herself feel ill.

"When can I see Eily again, Professor?" she found herself asking as she sat there, stirring.

Augustin looked up at her and narrowed his eyes.

"Are you alright, Miss Blishwick?" he enquired.

"Huh?" Astra squinted back at him, wondering why he hadn't answered her question.

"Because you're currently stirring an empty cauldron."

Astra looked down and realised he was right. She stopped her movements sheepishly and dropped the stirrer.

"I'm just worried about Eily." She lied. Well, it wasn't entirely a lie. Eily was one of many things she was worried about.

"Your sister is unable to receive visitors for the moment. She is still ill." Augustin said blankly and returned to his paperwork.

Astra, exhausted from the growing crop of anxieties in her mind and frustrated with his secretive attitude towards her own sister, banged her ingredients down on the desk, stood up and stalked towards Augustin.

She slammed her palms down onto his paperwork and yelled, "Stop hiding things from me!"

He raised his head and she saw his blue eyes flash from behind strands of his dark hair. She was suddenly very aware that he was a tall, thirty-five-year-old man and she was a pretty weak, shorter woman who was only six months into being an official adult.

Augustin stood from his own seat and placed his hands down opposite her own, leaning forward to meet her intense glare.

"Why should I?" he said in a deadly quiet tone, "When you continue to hide things from me, Miss Blishwick?"

Astra blanched. _That_ wasn't fair. She wasn't withholding information about _his_ family.

"You look like death warmed up, Miss Blishwick, and I can't help but assume that the secrets you are hoarding have something to do with it." He bit the words out.

"I didn't come here to be interrogated by you." Astra snarled.

"Then why did you come here?" he challenged.

This was ridiculous, Astra thought. He knew exactly why she was here. _He'd_ ordered it.

"I came here because _you_ told me to. I came here because _you _decided that it was an appropriate punishment for attacking Aisling Rosier. I came here because I fought another student for calling my sister a freak. I came here because I love my sister and I'm constantly worried about her and _you_ won't tell me when I can see her!" Astra hadn't meant to shout at him, but she needed him to understand. She had to know what was wrong with Eily. It was the single most important thing on the planet to her at that point in time.

"She's the only person I've got right now." Astra realised out loud, her voice cracking, somewhat overdramatically.

Augustin seemed to realise that Astra was on the edge of having a breakdown and he leaned back, sitting down in his chair again. He advised her to fetch a chair and sit opposite him. She did so, taking up a place across from his desk.

"Your sister has had to remain in the hospital for some time, Astra, and the staff are not sure when she can go home. They have discovered that she has been…harming herself when left to her own devices. It is not a safe mindset for her to be in when she has a new-born baby." Augustin watched her closely as she digested this information.

"It's my fault." She whispered.

"What?" Augustin knitted his brows, "What are you talking about? It has nothing to do with you, Astra."

"When we were at Eily and Valentin's for Halloween, I overheard the house elves looking for sharp objects in Eily's room. They- they said she was up to something she shouldn't be and I- I didn't know what they meant at the time but it should've been obvious and I just- I just didn't think and I didn't say anything when I should have and I- I- I-"

But Augustin had rounded the desk and enveloped her now shaking form in his arms. It was, undoubtedly, the most unprofessional and inappropriate thing he had ever done but Astra was grateful for it.

"Shh." He told her gently, "It is **not** your fault. This has been going on for far longer than Halloween. And _Valentin_ knew it. If the blame lies with anyone, it is him"

That made sense. The house-elves had said something about their Master punishing them if they didn't find what they were looking for. So it followed on logically that Valentin had known about it. It didn't alleviate Astra's guilt though. She had been so focused on trying to get Iola's potion that she hadn't really stopped to consider Eily herself. She had known there was something wrong but had reassured herself that her sister would be fine if she could go home. If she could return to that house, that house that she had obviously hated. That house that had made her so unhappy she had hurt herself. And Astra has wanted her to back there just for a stupid potion.

But it wasn't a stupid potion! Iola's friend _needed_ that potion. Despite Bob's cheery appearance when they had visited, both Iola and Michael had assured her that the redheaded woman was being violently sick most mornings and not sleeping nearly as much as she should do. Much like Eily.

Astra didn't realise she was crying until Augustin wiped her tears away with his thumb. He rooted around inside his robes and pulled out a handkerchief, handing it to her. Astra muttered a quick "Thanks."

She hated that she was crying in front of him. If he was at all surprised by it, he kept it hidden.

She was also conflicted now. She knew she still wanted to help Iola, to get the potion for her, but she also did not want to put Eily in any danger. And, currently, those two desires did not seem to be compatible.

Swallowing her instinct to run from the classroom and never speak to Augustin again, she balled her hands into fists and said, "I don't know what to do anymore."

It felt both terrifying and thrilling to be so disgustingly honest and vulnerable. Augustin had released her from his arms and was sitting back in own seat, still studying her.

"Talk to me, Astra." He prompted gently, "I can't help you if you don't talk to me."

"_I can't_." she said thickly, her throat stinging immensely.

"Astra, have I ever given you cause to doubt me?" He asked, lifting her chin tenderly and meeting her tear stained eyes.

She shook her head, sniffling, "But I can't. I can't tell you, I _promised_."

Augustin thought for a moment and then said, "Can you show me?"

She bit her lip. It was all just so complicated. She wanted to help everyone and for some reason it wasn't possible. She had wanted to be there for Kendra when she got engaged. She had wanted to be there for Eily when she had suffered so badly on Halloween. She had wanted to be able to provide Bob and Iola with Gestation Numbing Potion. She had wanted to reassure her friends that they would still be her friends even after they all left Hogwarts. She had wanted to hex Constantin to kingdom come and follow her own dreams.

But she couldn't. And she was sick of that excuse.

"I- I can." She croaked, blinking more tears away.

He offered her a small smile and then took her hand, rubbing his thumb across her palm comfortingly.

"Are you sure, Astra? If you don't want me in your head, you need to say now."

"I'm sure. I trust you." She said, gripping his hand.

He sensed her fear, "It won't hurt." he murmured.

She took a deep breath and met his eyes. And then she felt it. It was like she was being forced to replay her memories whilst a foreign entity watched them with her. She had no choice in what came next; one moment she was watching herself greet her friends on platform nine and three quarters, the next she was standing in a crowd, cheering on Matilde Northern and Kerrick Shacklebolt as they hugged each other. Even worse, she could feel her emotions all over again. As she watched Matilde and Kerrick congratulate each other, she _felt _herself _feeling_ envious. And she hadn't even recognised that emotion at the time! But now, watching it with Augustin in her head, she could sense the jealousy inside herself.

_I want that_, her memory self thought. _I want someone to want me_.

And then she was in the closet with Iola, watching the small girl sway with excitement all over again. Immediately, images of Bob flickered through her head and the memory of Iola holding the redhead's hand came up.

_They're so in love. Just like everyone else. How will I ever find something like that? I don't feel that way about anybody…_

Next her wrist was being gripped again by Eily's desperate hands. The heavily pregnant woman started howling at her, pleading with her, and Astra yelled for her mother.

_I can't deal with this. I don't know what to do. Someone help me, please!_

And then she was back in Eily and Valentin's cellar, learning how to take down the wards guarding the potions. Astra could feel Augustin inside her mind, making the connection between Iola's request and Astra's desire to learn the location and accessibility of Eily and Valentin's potions. She was willing to bet that this revelation would make him angry. She tried her best to think of something else.

"Let me in, Astra." She heard his voice and felt him squeeze her hand.

She gritted her teeth and relented, returning to the memory. She watched Augustin take her arm and guide her wand movements in the dark cellar. And then her feelings washed over her. Again, it was surprising to her that she could feel now emotions she hadn't even been aware of at the time.

_This is nice. This is comforting. I like being held like this._

Astra shocked herself with her bluntness. She prayed that there was no more to come and prepared herself to pull away from Augustin but then it all stopped.

She met his eyes again in the potions classroom and he was pursing his lips.

"You have an incredibly… active… mind, Astra." He said slowly, "We may be here for some time."


	22. Chapter 22

Astra Blishwick – Twenty-two

Astra held her breath. Augustin was staring at her intently, but he had not said anything else…yet.

In the short time that had passed since he invaded her mind, Astra had also decided that she _did not_ want him in her head ever again. It had felt like he stolen control over her own thoughts from her, even though she had given him her full permission. It had been like being stripped bare in front of him; all of her was open to him and she couldn't stop it. She wondered what on earth it must feel like to have that sort of power over someone…

"So," Augustin finally spoke, and his voice was level, "Miss Black requires Gestation Numbing Potion after all."

"It's not for her!" Astra blurted without thinking. Immediately she clapped a hand over her mouth.

"No." Augustin mused, "It is for the red-haired muggle with whom she is conducting an illicit affair."

Astra frowned disapprovingly, "It's not an _illicit affair_," she snapped, "neither of them are married."

Augustin rolled his eyes at her in a gesture that clearly indicated that she knew what he meant.

"Still, it is one of the numerous worries currently plaguing your mind." He asserted.

She nodded, feeling both calmer and more stressed all at once. She felt calm at having shared her worries with him, but terrified at the reminder that there was so much going on that she couldn't control. Like him reading her thoughts. She almost began to worry that he had realised that she liked feeling his arms around her, but then panicked because he might find _that_ worry and then he would know for definite. Even she did not know for definite.

Could he possibly know her own mind better than she did? Was this the power that legilimency allowed for?

"Please don't read my mind again." She babbled suddenly, "Please, I don't like it. I don't want it, please." She had never heard herself sound so pathetic and pleading.

Augustin reached his hand up to her face and she pulled back slightly. He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and then sat back in his seat again.

"I promise I shall never do so again, unless you ask it of me." He said solemnly.

"Is it…is it easy? ...To read peoples' minds?" she uttered the question as if it were a curse.

"For the most part." He conceded, "It is only difficult when one is faced with the unpleasant thoughts and memories of another. Particularly when one cares for that other person."

Astra made a small 'oh' sound and then waited for him to continue. She wished she had just come down to the dungeons and done her detention as commanded.

"I am afraid," he said, meeting her eyes, "that many of your problems have no favourable solution. I have given you my advice concerning the possibility of not marrying my brother, though the haste with which he intends to propose to you may compromise that plan. Your so called _friends_ are simply proving incapable of overcoming childish problems and your sister is currently receiving the care she requires. The potion Miss Black desires can be provided for her by me-"

"No!" Astra cried hurriedly, "No, she can't know that I told you!"

Augustin sighed slightly and then said, "Very well. I can provide you with the potion and you can give it to her."

"Where will you get it?" Astra breathed.

"From Valentin and Eily's house, as you had intended to. They are not in current need of it."

Astra nodded in understanding. She was beginning to feel a little more relaxed.

"As for your desire for intimacy, Miss Blishwick, I'm afraid that is burden you will have to suffer alone." He finished with a somewhat arrogant smirk.

Astra felt herself turn beet red. _That _wasn't a worry she had shown him. That was something he had picked up on and was now using to deliberately embarrass her. She felt rage flare in her gut.

Swallowing the urge to yell at him in anger, she clenched her fists and said, "I want you to teach me Occlumency, _Professor_."

Unusually, Augustin allowed his shock at this to register across his features. He narrowed his eyes at her and crossed his arms.

"And why on earth would I want to comply with that request, Miss Blishwick?" he almost choked.

"Do you want the more compelling reason or the genuine reason, sir?" she asked, smiling innocently.

She didn't even need to hear him say "Both." She had known it was coming.

"Well, the more compelling reason is because if you don't then I'll tell your family that you suggested I not marry your brother and that you agreed to help supply a muggle, with whom Iola is consorting, with a potion."

He raised a brow at her in slight amusement, as if he knew she would never carry out such a threat. She knew it too, but that was why she had another little speech up her sleeve.

"The genuine reason, sir, is because you just invaded my mind-"

"With your permission!" he interjected immediately, looking horrified at her insinuation.

"With my permission." She agreed. "Nevertheless, you invaded my mind and then used what you learned to deliberately embarrass me. And, since I believe you care about me, I should hope that you would wish to assist me in ensuring that nobody else is able to do such a thing to me, Professor." She finished, crossing her own arms in defiance.

There was a long pause, during which Astra wondered if she had been too aggressive and jumped to too many conclusions. Maybe he hadn't meant to embarrass her, maybe it hadn't been so bad.

"Ask me again. Ask _me_, Astra"

Astra felt her eyes widen. His voice had been unlike she'd ever heard before; hungry but soft, devious but gentle….and somewhat pleading.

She leaned forward, wondering if she had understood correctly what he was insinuating. It was frustrating to her that he never just came out and said what he meant.

"Teach me Occlumency, Augustin, please. I'm asking as your friend." She whispered.

He nodded and she let out a deep breath.

-AB-

Slowly, over the next few weeks, Astra relaxed back into her life at Hogwarts. Her friends came around over time and Kendra admitted that she had expected more of Astra because she had told her about the letter she'd had from Percival.

"It wasn't fair of me to expect more of you than the others. I'm sorry." Kendra had said.

"Don't." Astra had told her, "It's me who should be sorry, Kenny. And I really am."

They had made up and Astra gave Kendra the presents she had bought her from Hogsmeade. It hadn't been long before all six of them were getting on again.

Elias took her aside one November morning and told her in no uncertain terms that he was sorry for assuming the worst of her.

"I should have known better than to believe the first bad thing I heard about you, Astra. I let myself see you as a Slytherin snake rather than as my friend." He said earnestly.

"It's alright, Elias." She said, "Honestly, I was beginning to see the snake in myself too. I'm glad I'm back to being me."

By the start of December, Astra was successfully able to resist the Imperius curse and Professor Trimble decided that they were all ready to move on to the Cruciatus curse after Christmas.

Iola had been delighted to receive the first dose of Gestation Numbing Potion from Astra and even hugged her, telling her that Bob would be so pleased. Astra assured her cousin that it was nothing and not to mention it.

She had also improved leaps and bounds in potions and Professor Prince seemed to approve. She spent her days impressing him with her brewing and her nights impressing him with her mind.

"You are a fast learner, Miss Blishwick." The tall, dark haired man told her on the first Thursday evening of December.

"Call me Astra, Aug." she pleaded, tired from their mental battling.

"Alright." He conceded reluctantly, "Astra."

She knew he wasn't keen on the idea, but she had reminded him that they were entering this particular endeavour as friends rather than as a teacher and student.

"Shall we try once more before you leave?" he asked.

Astra felt her mouth fall open as she gawked at him, "Again? I'm shattered, Aug!" she moaned.

He snorted, "It's almost as if this time was initially designated as a punishment in order to teach you not to attack your fellow students, Astra." His snarky voice caused her to chuckle. He raised a brow and she simply shook her head.

They took up their positions once more and he threw his mind into hers. She had her barriers up fairly quickly; having learned how to do so over the past few weeks. But she knew, and he knew, that they were not strong barriers. She felt him nudge them, softly at first, and then with more intent.

_Oh, come on Astra, show me what's on your mind_….

She had become used to identifying his presence in her thoughts by now and this was a tactic he tried often. She knew that he could just break down her barriers if he wanted to but she also knew that he got far more satisfaction from tempting her walls down.

_No._ She thought, determinedly.

_No? Don't you want to share things with me, Astra? Don't you want someone to share with?_

_No._ She growled to herself.

_Alright then._

And then he smashed into her walls and she could feel the familiar sense of helplessness as he pondered upon what to watch.

Unusually, Astra found herself watching something that was not a memory of hers. Instead, it was a recurring nightmare.

She was standing in her family home, but it was heavily decorated for Christmas. An enormous tree floated in the corner and tiny fairies adorned almost every surface. Her parents were smiling at her with joy.

Eily and Valentin were there, Eily looking as sick as ever. Constantin stood nearby them and Augustin himself further back. Other figures buzzed around in the background, but Astra had not perfected this aspect of the vision. Music played loudly across the room, attacking her eardrums.

And then Constantin was in front of her, down on one knee and holding up a ring. He was speaking, but Astra couldn't hear what he was saying.

_Please no. Please make it stop._

Her parents were suddenly clapping and beaming at her expectantly. Valentin cheered his brother on and Eily began to cry.

_No, please! I don't want this, please! I can't be married to Constantin for the rest of my life, I can't!_

And then Augustin was in front of her, holding her close, cradling her head in his arms. Everything else became fuzzy and noiseless and his voice rang out, "I've got you. It's alright."

_Thank you. Thank you so much. Please, please just hold me…please…_

And then his presence in her mind was gone. She gasped for air and met his eyes across the office desk.

"You're afraid my brother will propose to you over the Christmas break."

It was not a question but a statement.

"Am I wrong to be afraid?" she asked tentatively.

He shook his head, "Not necessarily. I, too, believe it is likely to happen. But I cannot save you Astra. You can only save yourself."

He sounded sad and confusion washed over Astra rapidly. "But- but you said you had a place I could go! You said if I refused the proposal I could stay there!"

"I did." He acknowledged, "And I meant it. But that is if _you _refuse the proposal, Astra. I will not come and whisk you away to safety without your action first. And, if you accept, it is your choice. Whatever happens, it is _your_ choice."

Astra suddenly realised something, "With you getting the potion for Iola for me, I've no reason to accept the proposal! Except….Iola would realise that I'd told you about her predicament."

Augustin started shuffling through papers on his desk and then circled something on some parchment. He stood, marched over to one of the shelves of ingredients that decked every wall of the office, and made a space.

"Not if I start to stock Gestation Numbing Potion. You can claim that you are stealing it from me." He announced, gesturing to the space now on the shelf.

"You'll put the stocks you take from Eily and Valentin's there?" she asked in wonder, "And I can pretend that's how I'm getting it? I don't need to go back into their house again? I can refuse the proposal? I can stay at this place you've got for me? And you'll take me to visit Eily in the hospital?"

The tirade of questions did not seem to faze Augustin. He just nodded.

"All of it, Astra. I'll do all of it, for you."


	23. Chapter 23

Astra Blishwick – twenty-three

For the first time in her life, Astra was actually looking forward to Christmas. She would finally get to throw Constantin Prince's dreaded proposal back in his face. Augustin had promised to take her to see Eily as much as possible before she returned home. That way Astra would know she was back to full health before she was inevitably barred from ever going to hers and Valentin's house again after Christmas. And, up till then, Augustin would procure Gestation Numbing Potion for her to give to Iola.

Astra hadn't quite decided how she was going to explain to Iola that she had gotten Augustin involved yet. She knew she would have to; after Christmas Iola would undoubtedly begin to wonder how Astra was stealing potions from a house she wasn't allowed into.

The blonde Slytherin had decided that she would be able to convince Iola of Augustin's allegiance to their beliefs by then. After all, he was already helping her, even though she wasn't aware of the fact.

"Tell me one more time," Venusia Crickerly was whispering to Kendra Frey during Defence Against the Dark Arts, "exactly how Percival proposed. Oh, and let me see that ring again, it's simply stunning!"

Kendra obliged happily, explaining the romantic moment in thrilling detail. Astra was sure that the story became more and more elaborate every time Kendra told it, but she put that down to excitement. Unwarranted excitement, in Astra's opinion, but excitement, nonetheless. Percival Dumbledore had never been high up on Astra's list of favourite people.

"Miss Crickerly," Professor Trimble drawled lazily from his desk at the front, "I would have thought that given your upcoming Quidditch match this weekend, you would not want to be bogged down with extra work that you failed to complete during this lesson. Am I correct in my thinking?"

Venusia immediately went quiet, hanging her head in shame. "Yes, Professor." She muttered guiltily.

From his place at the back of the classroom, next to Aisling Rosier, Elias Grimstone let out an undignified snort. Venusia turned around to shoot him a glare but Trimble cleared his throat menacingly.

Elias and Venusia argued enough already. Bringing Quidditch into the picture was just foolish. Besides, as much as Astra knew Venusia didn't want to hear it, her team really didn't stand a chance against Elias' Hufflepuffs on the coming Saturday.

"I've been thinking, y'know," Kendra began quietly next to Astra.

"Oh, a new activity for you?" Astra asked, wiggling her eyebrows in a teasing manner.

Kendra nudged her friend's arm, causing Astra's quill to jerk off to the side, drawing a great ugly black line of ink over her essay. She hissed a curse at Kendra, who just smiled, and then she began to dab at her work with a handkerchief she found in her pocket.

"Who's ATP?" Kendra asked suddenly.

"What?" Astra asked, still scrubbing away at her parchment and not looking at her dark-haired friend.

"That handkerchief," Kendra clarified, "has the initials ATP embroidered on it."

Astra noticed that she was right and mentally scolded herself for not realising before getting it out. The letters were in calligraphic font and looked absolutely beautiful. Typical of Augustin, she thought grumpily.

"Err, I don't know. I've had it for ages." She lied, hastily shoving it back into her pocket, "What were you saying you'd been thinking about?"

Kendra did not seem keen to let the mystery of the initials slide so easily but she sighed and said, "I think I should use a spell to replicate my engagement ring and then sell the real one and give the money to my parents. They're awfully poor and I want to help them, I really do, but they won't let me use magic to help so I thought this could be an alternative."

Astra furrowed her brow, "Won't Percival notice?"

"I doubt it." Kendra muttered.

"And besides," Astra continued, "as much as I don't get on with the bloke, Percival loves you Kendra; if your parents need money I'm sure he'd gladly provide it. He's definitely not what one would call poor."

"No." Kendra agreed, "But I can't just ask him for money. That's not right."

Astra rolled her eyes, "Such a Gryffindor thing to say."

"I'll think about it some more." Kendra decided. And they went back to their essays.

-AB-

Astra had one last Occlumency lesson before the upcoming Quidditch match that Saturday. So, getting up from the library on Thursday evening, she explained to Kendra and Gerbold where she was going. Elias and Venusia were both busy training for the match and Kerrick had gone '_somewhere'_ with Matilde Northern, as he had put it.

"What?" Kendra asked, looking up from her Astronomy textbook, clearly not having listened to what Astra had said.

"I'm going to the dungeons for detention with Prince. Y'know, our teacher; black hair, blue eyes, generally bored attitude." Astra said slowly.

Kendra narrowed her eyes at the Slytherin, "Yes, of course I know who- oh!"

This time it was Astra's turn to be confused, "What?" she questioned.

Kendra shrugged, "Oh, it's nothing really. Percival and I have been joking around about baby names and I want to tease him with some ridiculous ones is all. So, do Augustin and his brothers have middle names?"

Astra frowned, sure that Kendra must have an ulterior motive for asking such a question but she couldn't fathom what it was.

"Valentin Claudius. Constantin Julianus. Augustin Tiberius. They've got a thing for Roman Emperors." She reeled off from memory. One thing was certain, she did agree that they were ridiculous names.

"Augustin….Tiberius?" Kendra repeated; one brow raised.

"That's what she said, Kenny." Gerbold clarified, also listening now. Obviously, the care of Hippogriffs was not enthralling enough for him.

"Augustin Tiberius Prince?" Kendra went on, as if she had the short-term memory of a goldfish.

"_Yes_." Astra said, getting annoyed now, "Look, Kendra, I really have to go to detention-"

"Ah, yes!" Kendra cried triumphantly, earning her a glare from the librarian, "Detention with ATP no less! Going to return his well-loved handkerchief, are you?"

Finally realising what Kendra had been playing at the entire time Astra gasped, "You sneaky little Slytherin! Of course that's not why! In case you'd forgotten, I have detention tonight for trying to kill Aisling Rosier."

But the damage was done.

"Why on earth do you have Professor Prince's handkerchief?" Gerbold asked, now completely ignoring his Care of Magical Creatures homework.

Kendra was still watching Astra with a sly smirk on her face. She was, by far, the most Slytherin Gryffindor Astra knew.

"We're friends, alright! You know that! He gave it to me at Halloween when I spilled a drink. I just kept it by accident." It wasn't a complete lie. More a fabrication of a truth; she and Augustin were friends and there was no reason why he couldn't have lent her the handkerchief to clear up a spilt drink. He just hadn't.

"And to think, you called me a Slytherin." Kendra said triumphantly, clearly aware that Astra was lying, "We're all adults here, Astra, you can be honest with us."

"Oh, for goodness sake, think whatever you want to think, the pair of you. I have to go." And the blonde scurried out of the library, trying to remember that she needed to burn that damned handkerchief.

It was exceptionally cold down in the dungeons. Astra shivered as she knocked on Prince's office door. His baritone voice beckoned her in, and she took her usual seat across from his desk. He looked more tired than usual and slightly frustrated. Astra could see several scrunched-up pieces of parchment kindling on his fire, his spiky handwriting across all of them.

"Are you alright, Professor?" Astra asked nervously, her anger at Kendra and Gerbold completely dissipating.

He met her eyes and smiled vaguely, "I'm fine, Miss Blishwick. Professor Bloom just enjoys wasting both his and others' time with his nonsense."

"Tell me about it." Astra snorted, recalling how many Divination lessons she had already sat through that term whilst wishing she could pitch herself off the astronomy tower instead.

Prince smiled genuinely at this.

"He keeps telling me there's a baby in a cauldron in my future. I keep telling him that putting a baby in a cauldron is enough to land me in Azkaban." She went on, hoping to make him laugh.

She didn't succeed. Prince just huffed and told her his plan for the evening. They were going to practice Occlumency for an hour. And then Astra was going to brew a Wolfsbane potion.

"But sir, that's an incredibly difficult potion!" Astra moaned, "And I'm always tired after Occlumency!"

"You'll be tired by the end of the year when the International Potion Competition takes place, Miss Blishwick, but you'll still have to take part." He told her sternly.

Then his face softened slightly, "And from now on, we shall use our Tuesday evening detentions to visit Eily, if you would like that?"

Astra's heart leapt, "Oh, yes please sir!" she nodded eagerly, "Although, I don't think Professor Black will be best pleased. These detentions are supposed to be a punishment to correct my behaviour, after all."

Prince smirked at her, "Why, Miss Blishwick, the last time I saw you hold our new nephew it seemed to fulfil those requirements perfectly."

Astra laughed. They began the Occlumency soon after and Astra fought especially hard to hide from him the overwhelming sense of happiness and belonging she had felt at hearing him use the phrase 'our nephew'.

She couldn't really hide it from herself any longer, as she realised she had been doing for some time; Astra Blishwick felt at home in the company of Augustin Prince. More so than when she was at her parents' house over the holidays, more so than when she lay in her Slytherin dorm next to Iola Black and more so than when she hid parts of her life from her best friends to save both them and herself the pain of a full explanation. She could tell Augustin anything because he knew everything. He knew all the difficulties she was experiencing and he understood them. He knew all the people in Astra's life who she had to deal with and he dealt with them too. And, she couldn't deny, she had felt secure, comforted and confident every time he had held her.

But she protected these thoughts; barricaded them away in the back of her mind as Augustin entered her head. He had tasked her with trying to prevent him from seeing who she had last spoken to before she had come to him that evening. His suggestion had been that she fabricate a new memory to show him, patched together from old memories.

She focused as hard as she possibly could and imagined sitting on her dorm bed, Iola next to her. Then she remembered talking to her cousin about Septimius Malfoy; that was a true memory. But she didn't let the conversation they had actually had come to the surface. Instead, she superimposed the words they had shared as they'd left the Hitchins' house.

Astra watched herself blush as she sat on her four poster, confessing to Iola that she thought Septimius Malfoy was incredibly handsome. She watched Iola agree. She waited patiently for Iola to go on to clarify that Septimius preferred the company of other men, but it never came. Instead, she felt Augustin pull out of her mind very quickly.

"So," he said, and Astra thought his voice sounded strangled and distant, "am I correct in thinking that you had been discussing the….aesthetic appeal of a certain Malfoy man with your youngest cousin before you came here this evening?"

Astra grinned widely.

"Well?" Augustin demanded.

Astra shook her head, "No. I was talking to Kendra in the library." She beamed at him.

He seemed bemused at that.

"So," he paused, "you don't find Septimius Malfoy attractive?"

Astra raised a brow at him and he deliberately looked away, telling her everything she needed to know.

"I think we both know that that's not a question a Professor should or needs to ask their student, sir." Astra said, trying to tame her hammering heart. She wasn't even sure why her heart was racing. She wasn't exactly ashamed of admitting that Malfoy was handsome; even Iola had agreed with her.

"Forgive me." Augustin murmured, "You are right, of course, Miss Blishwick."

And then, "What do you think of Septimius Malfoy, Astra?"

Astra felt herself smile at this. It was the first time she had found their confusing names system actually helpful. His use of her given name told her that he now knew that they were in conversational territory not appropriate for a student and teacher but that he wished to continue as friends.

"I think he is an interesting man, Aug." she answered truthfully, "But I know that's not what you're asking. So, if you're asking as my friend, then ask me plainly. Please."

His eyes shifted nervously and he began to scratch at some of the parchment on his desk. It was something Astra had seen him do before, usually when he was thinking too much.

"Talk to me, Aug." Astra said gently, reaching for his frenzied hand and squeezing it calmingly. She hadn't anticipated that she would be the one offering comfort tonight. If she had been him, Astra wouldn't have come to herself for comfort even if she were the last person on earth.

He met her eyes and Astra thought she could detect guilt in his grimace.

"Astra, I've known you since you were born. I've been your teacher since you were eleven. I am seventeen years older than you, that is twice your age. And I've just asked you whether or not you find a man attractive. Anyone with a brain would sack me on the spot." He fretted. Astra had never seen him so wound up.

She chuckled lightly, "Aug, if I were any other student then yes, it might be inappropriate. But you said it yourself, I've known you all my life. You've been my teacher for seven years but my friend for a decade more. And I don't care how old you are, I never have. Besides, I'm of age, and have been for half a year. I know that I'm not completely mature. And I know that I have a lot of growth yet to do but I am an adult now. And viewing people as attractive is not something new in my life." She paused to reconsider this statement, "Well, it's sort of new to me, but my best friend is engaged to be married, Aug, and she's hardly kept her relationship quiet for the past two years."

"Astra, I know you're of age. I know you think you know what you're doing and what you think about things, but-"

"No, Aug. Don't tell me that I don't know my own mind because I do. Obviously, I'm going to become more mature and experienced, everyone is until the day they die, but it doesn't mean they don't know their own minds. It just means that their mind evolves over time and they learn new things about themselves." Astra didn't realise she had stood up but she found herself leaning over Augustin's desk, her palms flat on the surface.

"Alright, alright." Augustin relented gently, holding his hands up in surrender, "I apologise, Astra. I suppose a part of me thinks that if I can convince myself that you don't know your own mind then I'll find it easier to keep myself in check."

"Keep yourself in check about what?" Astra frowned.

Augustin growled slightly and Astra jerked backwards a little.

"Sorry." He muttered.

And then, "Astra, I think I need to be honest with you. We can forgo the Wolfsbane potion tonight. Please, sit down."


	24. Chapter 24

Astra Blishwick – twenty-four

Augustin tapped his desk repetitively for a few minutes before he cleared his throat and addressed Astra in a tone that she would have mistaken for formal, had she not known what he was going to talk about.

"You are an incredibly talented witch, Astra, and a credit to Hogwarts School and to Slytherin House. You are smart and witty but also kind and loving. You are a wonderful person and I enjoy your company immensely." He said, monitoring his tone carefully.

Astra raised a brow, unsure what the appropriate response was.

She decided to go with, "Have you been drinking?"

Augustin muffled a snort and shook his head, "No." he reassured her, "But this is what I mean. You're funny and caring. And I'm beginning to see you as a woman, Astra, and it's scary because I don't want you to become a woman who is limited because of her gender. And we both know that that is likely to happen amongst our circles."

"Amongst _purebloods_ you mean." Astra clarified. Augustin nodded in agreement.

"I'm finding myself increasingly frustrated by the fact that I know you are going to run into barriers, and I can't prevent that. You _should_ be free to pursue a man you find attractive but currently you can't. You _should_ be able to feel the way Miss Frey does about her fiancée but you can't. You will either find yourself trapped in the claws of my repulsive brother or tossed alone into the world. And it makes me angry to think of it." And he looked angry. Astra was grateful that his angry words were not directed at her because his eyes looked murderous.

"Kendra." She said, quietly, "Her name is Kendra, not Miss Frey. We are talking as friends, Aug." she reminded him gently.

There was a pregnant pause then, as Augustin's words of truth sunk in. Astra felt a mixture of feelings. She was angry too, on behalf of her awful situation, and anxious at the prospect of facing either of the two paths Augustin had laid out for her. She did not want to marry Constantin; of this she was absolutely certain. But she also did not want to face the world alone. And it would be alone, if she refused the proposal, because her family and all other purebloods would disassociate from her.

Then she felt jealous. Jealous of Kendra and the fact that she could marry Percival simply because she wanted to, because she loved him and that was fine. And her family would still love and accept her even after she became Mrs Dumbledore.

She was jealous of Iola, and the fact that she had found a family outside of her biological one. That she had fallen in love and shared her heart with another. That they had a baby on the way and the prospect of a new, happy life together.

And then she felt guilty. Guilty because Kendra was poor and her family living in near poverty. And Iola was previously unloved and would not be accepted by her family for who she was. And Astra was none of those things and yet….she envied them.

"Am I terrible person for hating my life? Even though it isn't a bad life, not in the least?" Astra murmured.

"I think only a fool is completely satisfied with their life, no matter who they are." Augustin said thoughtfully, offering her an encouraging smile, "But you are at a significant disadvantage, Astra, in that you seem determined to face life alone."

Astra frowned, "What?" she asked, "I'm not determined. I don't _want _to be alone forever. I have friends whom I love-"

"Who are finding partners and getting engaged." Augustin interjected, splaying his hands on the desk.

Astra could feel herself getting frustrated; he was being so confusing. He'd started out telling her how wonderful she was and how unfortunate it was that her life was doomed to be limited and now it appeared to be her own fault because she hadn't fallen in love.

"You think I'm going to end up alone and desolate because I haven't what-? _Given in to_ love? You think I go around falling in love and just refusing offers of matrimony as if they grow on trees!? Why would I do that, Aug? What on earth would be the point of that?" She demanded, balling her own hands into fists.

"Forgive me, Astra, I fumbled what I meant to say. I just meant to say that it is surprising to me that, given your apparent decision to reject my brother, something I am fully supportive of, you seem to have made no plans for the consequences of this situation."

Astra bit her lip to stop herself screaming at him and took a deep breath, "You told me I could live at the safe place you have."

Augustin nodded, "You still can. But I would have thought that you would have searched for something- some_one_ to take on the role Constantin would have filled."

Astra lurched to her feet, her chair skidding backwards, and kicked the desk forcefully. Augustin leaned back in shock and she snarled at him, her face contorted in rage.

"How dare you!?" she shouted, "How dare you suggest that I _need_ a husband! How dare you tell me that I am not good enough alone, that I cannot thrive without one. How dare you, when you sit here in front of me, a bachelor yourself and perfectly happy with your life, suggest that I could never be happy as I am. How dare you tell me that I shouldn't be limited by my gender and then say I have to marry to have a worthwhile life!"

Though he looked visibly terrified, Augustin fought back valiantly, "I'm not telling you these things because I don't think _you _are capable, Astra. I'm telling you because the world will not think you capable. The pureblood world-"

"The pureblood world will never change, so long as people like _you_ give in to it Augustin Prince! Of all people I thought _you_ believed in me, Aug but, clearly, I was wrong. Apparently, in your eyes, I'm just an unlovable, foolish, _child_ who doesn't realise that she isn't capable enough to manage without a big strong man to tell her what to do!" Astra snapped each word at him and found she had tears in her eyes by the end of her speech. She turned on her heel, not waiting for his response, and left the room. She did not want him to see her crying again. She was worried now that it would only reinforce his apparent opinion of her as a weak child.

He didn't call after her, didn't chase her down the corridor and apologise. Astra briefly wondered whether he would withdraw all his offers to help her. Whether she would have to tell Iola that she couldn't get any more potion for her. Whether she would end up homeless after Christmas. Whether she would never hear about Eily again.

Iola's snores greeted her as she collapsed onto her bed. Not even bothering to change, Astra closed her eyes and curled up tightly under the covers wondering why she had never fallen in love, because, of all the things Augustin had said to her, that had struck her the hardest.

She didn't even care that nobody had ever fallen in love with her. What scared her most was the thought that she had never felt that way for anyone. What if she was incapable of falling in love? What if she just couldn't love? What if she was a cold-hearted bitch like Aisling Rosier, who was only in a relationship because it benefitted her social status? What if she never fell in love? What if _that_ was the reason she might eventually die alone?

_Maybe you should've been a Ravenclaw_. Her brain thought. Astra snorted and rolled over, shoving her face into the pillow.

-AB-

Much to Astra's chagrin, Kendra spent the next few days bugging her Slytherin friend about Augustin Prince.

She kept nudging Astra whenever Prince was around and wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. Astra had tried her best to ignore this, but it was difficult.

One potions lesson, Kendra had deliberately begun to enquire of Augustin what, exactly, one needed to do in order to become a potions apprentice.

"So, we'd have to work closely with you, sir?" Kendra asked, staring up at Prince innocently.

Augustin wrinkled his nose at the Gryffindor and snapped, "Yes. Obviously."

Astra glared at her friend but to no avail.

"And that would be quite friendly, wouldn't it, sir?" Kendra pushed on. It was bold, even for her. Kendra would never normally talk to a member of staff this way.

"Miss Frey, please enlighten me as to why I am being tortured with your increasingly inappropriate questions." Augustin sneered at her from the front desk.

"Oh, it's only because Astra seemed really interested in you." Kendra said, sounding sweet and simply curious, "Oops!" she cried, lifting a hand to her mouth, "I mean, interested in apprenticing under you."

At this, Guy Avery choked on air next to Astra, who had gone flush red.

"Really, Blishwick? You're really interested in being _under_ Professor Prince? And with his own brother being so devoted to you? What a loose little Slytherin you must be." Avery grinned nastily at the blonde, earning sniggers from around the dungeon classroom.

Kendra seemed a little put out at this. Apparently, she had not meant for the teasing to take _that_ sort of a turn.

Astra faintly heard Augustin tell Avery off for "inappropriate insinuations", but she had already begun picking up her bag and making her way to the door.

"Miss Blishwick, where on earth do you think you're going?" Augustin's voice carried over her shoulder.

Astra turned back to him and the rest of the classroom, her clenched fists shaking, knowing that her entire face and neck had gone bright beet, "Anywhere, so long as it's away from _you_, Professor!" she choked out, sending him a furious look of contempt and then vanishing from the classroom.

The rest of Astra's week did not go much better. On Saturday, Elias led his enthusiastic team of Hufflepuffs to a stunning victory in the Quidditch match, eliciting more excitement than Astra had ever seen in her life as Venusia and Elias raced neck and neck for the snitch, with Elias eventually snatching it out of the air, only to have Venusia dive into him at the same moment. The two had ended up rolling along the ground, tightly wound up together in a bundle of yellow and blue robes. When they finally came to a stop, Elias, who had ended up underneath Venusia, held up his hand, showing the snitch to the stadium, which had promptly erupted in cheers. Venusia, who had never been a sore loser, had beamed down at the Hufflepuff captain and then captured his lips with hers in tidal wave of applause.

Astra, who had only been reminded of her fight with Augustin at the sight of a thoroughly joyous new couple, had snuck away to hide in the library as the celebrations began. She knew that both Venusia and Elias would be upset with her for not being around but Astra had, once again, reached the point where she did not care. She hadn't been into Augustin's private stores since their argument, so she didn't know yet whether he was going to stop providing her with access to Gestation Numbing Potion.

Added to this, rumours, undoubtedly started by Guy Avery and his cohort, had begun to fly around the school concerning Astra and Augustin.

"They_ do _know each other outside of Hogwarts." She had heard a Ravenclaw third year whispering to his friends, "So it's not impossible that they've got _something_ going on."

His companions all seemed to be both shocked and intrigued. Their theories started to run wild; one of them suggesting that Augustin had kidnapped Astra, put her under the imperius curse and that she was, only now, beginning to break it.

A ridiculous theory, Astra knew, given that she had been put under that exact curse in Defence Against the Dark Arts, and had actively demonstrated an ability to fight it off.

However, it was now becoming abundantly clear to Astra that, out of all of her friends at Hogwarts, she alone was single, unwanted and disgustingly angry about that fact. It wasn't even that she desperately wanted someone to love. No, the main worry that was now constantly at the forefront of Astra's mind was that she _couldn't_ love. And, somehow, that was still scarier.


	25. Chapter 25

Astra Blishwick – Twenty-Five

Astra didn't speak to Augustin for a full week after storming out of his class. Not even during her Tuesday evening detention with him, where he ordered her to make the dreaded Wolfsbane potion, which she did in complete silence, nor during their visit to see Eily on the Thursday evening.

Astra had wordlessly taken hold of the Portkey Augustin had offered her and proceeded to fall to the floor of the hospital ward, fighting the urge to throw up. Augustin had watched her in exasperation as she refused his outstretched hand and forced herself to her feet, marching silently over to her sister. The Blishwick sisters had enjoyed a short conversation about how much Severin looked like Eily and Valentin before a medi-witch had come over and demanded that she be allowed to assess Eily alone. Then the blue curtains had gone up once again, and Astra had stood awkwardly to the side, still stoically ignoring Augustin.

"You know I've never thought any less of you because you don't have a man, Astra." The tall, dark haired man had begun quietly, "But others will, and I'd be a fool to let you go out into the world without realising that."

Astra had sighed, not facing him, "I do know it, Prince. And you _are_ a fool to think that I'm blind to the prejudices of our world; I did grow up in it, you know."

"I know." He had muttered solemnly, "I know."

The following day, Astra had finally gotten around to offering her congratulations to Venusia and Elias and, thankfully, they had been far too heavily engaged in poorly hidden public displays of affection to be angry at her for not doing so sooner. Kerrick had divulged that he and Matilde Northern were now planning their _third_ date in as many weeks and Gerbold had tried in vain to hide a blush when asked about his own love life.

"Well I've committed myself to a lifetime of celibacy with a side-line of occasional prostitution, should it all begin to go downhill." Astra announced, slapping her usual grin onto her face.

Kerrick snorted into his breakfast and Astra turned on him, glaring, "What, Shacklebolt? Think I couldn't manage it?"

"Which bit?" Kerrick choked, "The celibacy or the prostitution? Because I can't help but feel that one rather ruins your chances for the other."

Astra tilted her head thoughtfully and mused, "I shall focus my efforts on whichever one will make my beloved parents angrier; I haven't quite decided yet."

This was greeted by a round of laughter and the group headed off to Divination, Kerrick and Elias peeling off a few floors before they reached the classroom.

Professor Bloom was, as usual, already in the classroom when they arrived and was sipping tea from a mug the size of his own head. Whilst he briefly had the mug lifted to his mouth, Astra wondered whether he would be less annoying if he had the mug in place of his head. At least he would stop spouting nonsense every ten seconds.

"Oh, come in, come in!" Bloom encouraged the influx of students, plonking his tea down and swooping to the centre of the room. His hair had more flowers in it today than Astra had ever seen before and she wondered why he didn't just press them like a normal person with a floral based hobby.

Astra, Kendra, Venusia and Gerbold took their usual seats around a table and prepared themselves for an hour of boredom before Bloom cooed, "Today, class, you will be taking it in turns to come to the middle of the room and predict something for one another."

"As if this class isn't ridiculous enough already, it now includes public humiliation." Astra muttered tersely.

"Better still," Bloom cried, throwing his hands up dramatically, "you will be predicting for a classmate with whom you have not yet interacted!"

There was a collective groan of annoyance, but it did not wipe the smile from Bloom's face. If anything, he looked even keener on the idea.

"Sadist." Kendra noted. Astra bit back a snort.

Cicero Lovegood was called up first and Bloom asked Venusia to join him. The two Ravenclaws seemed fairly at ease with this; they were, after all, reasonably good friends. There was a tense pause, during which the pair of them seemed to be waiting for the appearance of a crystal ball or some tea leaves or anything with which to predict the future before Bloom's wavering tones came again, "Oh, go ahead, dears. There will be no instrument of prediction today, only your minds. I wish to see who truly has the eye!"

Kendra rolled her eyes at Astra who nodded at the sentiment. She couldn't care less whether or not she had 'the eye' as Bloom put it, but she was aware that this was an utter waste of her time. She cursed Augustin for persuading her to take this damned subject.

"Uh…I….I think- I think Venusia is going to prosper at the Ministry, Professor." Cicero began nervously.

Bloom dashed forward, his eyes coming level with Lovegood's, "Yes, my boy? Can you be any more specific?"

There was another, lengthy pause until Bloom sighed, shaking his head and saying, "No matter, my dear, no matter. Miss Crickerly's turn I suppose."

Venusia spluttered out something about a writing career, something Astra was fairly sure her Ravenclaw friend had known about Cicero Lovegood anyway, and received faint praise from Professor Bloom.

Returning to her seat ashen faced, Venusia mumbled, "We both just said things we already know the other wants."

"It's stupid anyway, Ven," Kendra reassured her, "making us guess things out of thin air."

Bloom called forwards Guildford Rowle and Matilde Northern next. They both gave feeble attempts at each other's future prospects and then retreated to their chairs. Professor Bloom seemed less than impressed with the direction the class was taking.

"I don't want to hear guesses at future careers." he chided, "I want dramatic predictions full of tension that loom above your mind's eye, begging to be brought to light!"

"He's such a nutcase." Gerbold observed as Bloom moved back a few steps and placed his hands over his eyes.

Then the curtain clad Professor announced, "Rosier! Blishwick! Next!"

Astra felt her heart sink. As if this class could have gotten any worse.

She forced herself to her feet and padded forwards, meeting the repulsed face of Aisling Rosier opposite her. The other Slytherin's cropped black hair was tucked neatly behind her ears and her green eyes gleamed.

"It's just a feeling I'm getting," Astra began, her voice laced with obvious sarcasm, "but I think _Aisling_ might get devoured by a troll sometime next week."

Rosier glared daggers at the blonde. Snickers ran around the class and Astra waited for the reprimand, but it never came. Instead, Professor Bloom smiled widely, bouncing up and down on his feet, "Ooh, yes, Miss Blishwick! An unlikely prediction, certainly, but exciting nonetheless."

As Rosier opened her mouth to protest, Astra herself cut in. She was fairly sure that she should just accept the praise she had been given but she was so frustrated at the amount of time she had wasted in this classroom over the term that she did not have the patience.

"I'm sorry, sir, but are you congratulating me for making something up? Are you, in fact, suggesting that outright fallacies are preferable to earnest attempts at reasonable truths?" she demanded, not caring for the shocked whispers that had now taken over the room.

There was a prolonged silence during which Professor Bloom gaped open mouthed at Astra as if she had cast some sort of curse on him, and then Rosier finally spoke, her tone venomous and calculating.

"You know what I see, Professor?" she stared directly at Astra, "I see Blishwick making a life altering decision over a _Prince_-"

"Don't you dare." Astra spat at her, but she kept going.

"A decision over a Prince that will land her in a heap of trouble. Such a reckless, foolish, nasty little decision, in fact, that she'll spend tortured hours wishing she hadn't made it, and everyone will think so lowly of her that she'll wish she were dead instead." Aisling Rosier announced, carefully watching Astra's face as it grew more and more furious.

The logical part of Astra's brain knew that she herself had made it fair game to go in for the kill with these predictions, having started with her own devious story concerning Aisling's own demise. But to mention Prince was such a wearisome, personal dig that Astra knew she was going to shout at the girl.

She was prevented from doing so, however, when Professor Bloom began to slowly clap. The attention of the entire room slowly focused on him and he reached up to his hair and clasped one of the freshest looking flowers. He approached Aisling Rosier and handed her the flower, smiling kindly.

"An excellent use of the inner eye, Miss Rosier, you really do have a gift. Even I, myself, could sense what you spoke of but not put it so perfectly into words." He crooned. Rosier took the flower, beaming malevolently.

"What?!" Astra yelled, "She just predicted my torture and death and that's fine, is it?"

"You did the same to me!" Rosier hissed, her tongue flicking like an angry viper.

"I heard only truth fall from Miss Rosier's lips, Miss Blishwick. Perhaps you would do well to learn from her." Bloom chided the blonde Slytherin and then ordered for the next pair of students to take up their positions.

-AB-

"It's got to be about Constantin's proposal." Astra said firmly, striding up and down the small section of the library that she and Kendra had been occupying since lunchtime.

"But which decision is more likely to bring me torture and death, if I refuse him or if I marry him?" she asked, feeling the sweat build up on her hands.

Kendra raised her eyebrows at her friend, somewhat nervously, "Astra, we both know that Bloom's classes are a load of rubbish, why are you suddenly applying so much meaning to this?"

"Because Rosier was so specific!" Astra protested, "And then Bloom _agreed_ with her!"

Kendra shook her head, "Bloom will agree with anyone who predicts something depressing and drastic, you know that. And Rosier can afford to be specific; she knows your family have a connection to the Prince's and that predictions concerning them have always annoyed you."

Astra forced herself to stop pacing, considering her best friend's words carefully. They seemed more rational than the train wreck of terror currently spiralling out of control in her own mind.

"Yeah," she relented, "you're probably right."

"Maybe you should talk to Professor Prince if you're really worried about it, Astra." Kendra began tentatively, "I know you're angry with him at the moment and I don't know why but he might be the only one able to properly put your mind at rest."

Astra could tell from Kendra's anxious expression that the Gryffindor knew she was walking on eggshells. It had been her, after all, who had begun the conversation that had led to Astra walking out of Potions class the previous week. But Astra also knew that Kendra had only been trying to tease her friend and that she would not have done it, had she known the entire story.

"I argued with Augustin the other week." Astra sighed, sitting down next to Kendra and wiping her sweaty hands on her skirt.

"He seems to think that if I don't marry Constantin I have to find someone else because I couldn't possibly manage in the world without a husband. And, well…I told him to get lost."

Astra could see that Kendra was fighting a smile, "Good for you." She said honestly, "But I thought you said he was different from the rest of the purebloods?"

Astra barked a sour laugh, "I thought he was. And he's no Constantin, or Valentin for that matter, but he's most certainly not the Prince I need to rescue me from the dragon."

"Obviously," Kendra chuckled, "because you don't need a Prince to rescue you. You can fight dragons perfectly well on your own."

They both chuckled.

"Of course I can." Astra nodded, "Or….I could ally myself with the dragon and begin my inevitable take-over of the entire world."

"Sounds reasonable." Kendra yawned slightly, "Might want to warn Minister Spavin though; give him a bit of a head start and he might get around to responding to the threat in five years rather than ten."


End file.
